Should Ronnie Bell return punts for Michigan Football?

Should Ronnie Bell return punts for Michigan football this season after how he got injured last season? 

You can feel the excitement building around the return of Ronnie Bell.

Bell was Michigan football‘s receiving leader in 2019 and 2020 and started the 2021 season with a bang catching a 70-yard touchdown before blowing out his knee against Western Michigan.

That was a tough blow. Bell had worked so hard it was hard to see that happen and knowing what a valuable piece he was for Michigan football. It looked like that was going to be a lot to overcome.

Of course, the wide receivers behind him stepped up, especially guys like Roman Wilson and Andrel Anthony. Mike Sainristill too, even though he’s now a two-way (three-way if you count special teams) player.

Bell has drawn rave reviews in camp and I feel like he’s ready for a true breakout season, as in 1,000 yards. Michigan football lost a go-to guy in short yardage (Hassan Haskins) but Bell has always been money on third downs and that certainly won’t hurt.

One thing that’s been talked about a lot though is the prospect of Bell getting hurt on a punt return. Chris Balas of The Wolverine reported (subscription required) that Bell is still returning punts and kicks in fall camp. He actually listed it among his five surprises of fall camp.

Should Ronnie Bell return kicks/punts for Michigan football?

For his career, Bell has 11 returns for 105 yards. That’s a 9.8 average. Not bad but not spectacular. But return yardage is just one part of being a punt returner, a very small part in fact.

The most important job is securing the football and honestly, I worried about every punt return after his injury and I never worried about Bell.

I get being concerned about his injury but it’s not like he got hurt because it was a punt return. It was a freak thing and by all accounts, he’s 100 percent. He wants to return punts and if the guy wants to do it, you have to let players play.

And we all know how important special teams can be. Michigan football wouldn’t have gone 12-2 last season with its excellent kicking game. Having a solid return game is part of that, especially when it comes to avoiding turnovers and protecting the ball near the goal line.

I’d trust Bell to do that over anyone. In certain situations, A.J. Henning should get a shot. Bell has been working on kickoffs too and my response is, why not?

Either the guy is 100 percent or he isn’t and if he is, well, special teams are an important part of the game and I’d rather have Bell returning punts and/or kickoffs than anyone else.

It does make sense to share the role I think, just to give others an opportunity to get the ball in their hands, but if Michigan football is leading and it needs someone to field a punt near its own end zone, I think we all know who we want on the field…Ronnie Bell.