University of Houston Athletics
C-USA Honors Bell For Second Time
12/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 2, 2002
For the second time this season Conference USA has named sophomore kicker Dustin Bell (Houston, Texas) as the league Special Teams Player of the Week, as it was announced today by the C-USA Office in Chicago.
Bell was perfect last time out against Louisville, converting both his field goal attempts (41 & 26 yards) and all three of his extra points in helping the Cougars beat the Cardinals, 27-10, in the season finale. Bell also nailed three of his five kickoffs into the end zone, resulting in two touchbacks. His other two kickoffs were sky kicks into the wind, with UL only able to return both kicks for a combined 18 yards.
For the season Bell finished 12-of-14 (.857) in field goals, which was the second-best seasonal percentage performance for a UH kicker with at least 10 three-point attempts (Chip Browndyke, 25-26, .962, 1987). Bell finished second on the team in scoring with 68 points, also converting on 32-of-35 point-after attempts.
Bell began the 2002 campaign with eight straight field goals before missing a 54-yarder against TCU. His streak was one of the best kicking starts in UH field-goal history, and the former Jersey Village High School star concluded the year by making four-of-five attempts. He was deadly inside the 40-yard line, nailing all six three-pointers.
Honored earlier this year for his kicking prowess against Louisiana-Lafayette, Bell becomes the first Cougar to win at least two C-USA player-of-the week awards since Ketric Sanford took home two during the 1999 campaign. Bell, running back Joffrey Reynolds and free safety Hanik Milligan have all been honored this year.
TCU running back Lonta Hobbs and Cincinnati defensive end Antwan Peek were the other weekly award winner.
-UHCougars.com-
