WHITNEY BELL RECEIVES GLIAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR

Defensive Lineman Plays Key Role In Bulldogs' Victory

Whitney Bell picks up weekly conference honor for his defensive productivity in Ferris State's win at Mercyhurst Saturday.

Ferris State University senior defensive tackle Whitney Bell (Sault Ste. Marie/Sault Area) has been selected this week's (Sept. 27) Wilson/Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Defensive Player of the Week following his season-high 10 tackles in the Bulldogs' 31-28 conference victory over Mercyhurst Saturday (Sept. 25) at MC's Tullio Field in Erie, Pa.

Bell, who notched seven solo stops in Ferris' fourth straight victory of this season, recorded five tackles for a loss of 33 yards as the Bulldog defense held the Lakers to only eight yards net rushing and 36 total yards in the first half. Furthermore, he produced up a game-leading four pass sacks for minus 29 yards in the contest.

For Bell, the weekly conference honor represented the first in his Ferris State career.

In 36 career games to date, Bell has garnered 185 tackles (113 solos) with 35 stops for a loss of 150 yards. He also has 12.5 career pass sacks for minus 74 yards to go along with three fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles, eight pass breakups and one interception for 13 yards.

Last season, the 6-2, 284-pound lineman generated a career-high 99 tackles (64 solos) in 10 games to place tied for third among the team's tackles leaders en route to earning second-team All-America honors by Don Hansen's Football Gazette. Bell also claimed second-team All-Northeast Region accolades by Hansen's Football Gazette, Daktronics and D2Football.com. The 2003 All-GLIAC First-Team performer and FSU's Most Valuable Defensive Lineman paced all conference linemen in tackles with 9.9 tackles per outing. He placed sixth nationally in solo tackles (6.4 avg.), 25th in tackles for loss (1.7 avg.), 31st in forced fumbles (0.3 avg.), 33rd in pass sacks (0.7 avg.) and 43rd in total tackles (9.9 avg.).

Ferris State, which is off to its best start since 1999, hosts the Findlay Oilers this Saturday (Oct. 2) night in a GLIAC tilt at FSU's Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich. A 7 p.m. (EDT) kickoff is scheduled for Ferris' fifth annual Hall of Fame game.