Joique Bell (pronounced: "Joyk") is a 6'0", 225-pound running back for Wayne State University (the one in Michigan, not the one in Nebraska) who has been lighting up Division II football for the past few season. He runs in the high 4.4s. Even suffering through and injury-plagued campaign season last year, he still racked up some impressive numbers. Everyone I've talked to feels like Joique is as good as (or better than) Pittsburg State's Germaine Race who we featured heavily on the site here a couple years ago.

Joique is a powerful runner with some natural running-back moves and runs in the 4.6 range at 223 pounds. You can read more about him more here:

http://wsuathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-foot...l_joique00.html

Let me be the first to congratulate Joique on being selected the CDS 2009 Preseason DII Offensive Player of the Year, and get things rolling here in his own private forum with a question.

Hey Joique, Welcome to CDS! Can you tell us who the teams to beat should be in the GLIAC this fall? Where/how does Wayne State stack up versus the top competition this fall?

Thanks man...

Joique, thank you for allowing us to get to learn more about you. I thought of Reuben Droughns when I saw you, are there any backs you have looked to in the NFL as you have developed your style and what things will you be working on to get ready for the next level?

I don't compare my style to any other backs in the league at this time. I just do what works for me. But I've had admired past running backs who are retired such as Walter "Sweetness" Payton, Terrell Davis and Eddie George. This year I am working on my footwork, keeping my pads low, and increasing my playing speed.

Hey Joique,

Glad to see you, my friend.

Could you also tell us about your major, and your goals/thoughts/plans for after football one day?

In Wayne State's opener with Mercyhurst, Bell carried for 32 times for 135 yards and 2 TDs. He also caught a pass for 11 yards and threw once (incomplete).

Bell moved into 24th place on the NCAA all-time scoring list with 396 points.

WSU won 31-13 and opens their GLIAC conference play at home against Saginaw Valley State who upset #8 Cal (PA) last week on the road 23-17.

Thanks for that update on the GLIAC, Jay!

I am majoring in criminal justice and will graduate in December.

My immediate goal is to play in the NFL. However if that doesn't work, I want become part of the FBI swat team.

Hey Joique... welcome to the site. Hope you enjoy it here.

Were you satisfied with your personal performance in the opener? What went right/wrong?

Hi Joique - great job against U Indi in the 27-23 win - and congratulations going over 5,000 rushing and 6,000 all-purpose yards - those are tremendous marks to have achieved!

What was it like running down #6, defensive back JT Owens on that intercepted 2-point try? You displayed some great speed over 100 yards to catch him at the 1 and deny the Greyhounds an important 2 pts (have you considered running the 100m? )

Good luck this week against Findlay (3-0) - they have alot of momentum coming to Detroit with their big win over Ferris State (43-7) this weekend.

I'd like to echo those congratulations, Joique.

Just a quick nosey question you don't have to answer if you don't want to...Are you getting any more opportunities off the field to talk to people "in the next level business" at all lately? I know you wanna focus on the task at hand which is WINNING BALL GAMES FOR WAYNE STATE, but...are you hearing anything at all from scouts, etc.?

Joique, do you feel that you are on track so far and what's your favorite play to run?

It was a play that had to be made regardless of how tired I was. I put the team ahead of myself.

I ran track (110m hurdles, anchor leg in 4x100m relay and 300m hurdles) in high school.

NFL Scouts have been coming to practice, watching game films and speaking with our coaches.

Joique Bell was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for his 289 yard/3TD performance against Findlay, which put him at number 1 on the GLIAC career rushing list.

Congratulations, Joique!

Link to GLIAC website article:

http://www.gliac.org/sports/fball/2009-10/.../fball_potw_wk4

Congratulations to Joique Bell who currently leads the nation in rushing at 178.0 yards per game.

Great work Joique!

Read the complete article on the WSU website:

http://wsuathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-foot.../092909aaa.html

For anyone who didn't see...Joique absolutely destroyed Ashland this past weekend to the tun of 272 rushing yards and 5 TD's...and caught the game-winning 45 yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the game.

Joique, as a GV fan, I must say that I hate to see you go, but am sure glad to have you leaving.

I believe Bell is averaging something like 160 yards/2 TD's a game against GV over his career...one of the top D2 teams in the country.

I was there to see it all in (painful but awesome) living color ... must be a reason CDS picked Joique as the D-2 Pre-season OPOY - after 6 games he has over 1100 yards rushing and 16 TDs ... seems he's on track to BE the D-2 OPOY of 2009!

Good luck, Joique!

Joique yet again tore it up.

Today against Ferris State he had 34 carries for 263 yards and 6 TD's while catching 2 passes for 42 yards.

Sweet! Amazing. Thanks, K.S.

His season totals are now:

8 games: 250 carries for 1596 yards, 24 TDs, 191.4 ypg.
15 catches for 186 yards, 1 TD-tied for first on team with 15 catches....

Joique and his WSU teammates travel to Hillsdale (who just knocked off once beaten Northern Michigan and previously unbeaten Grand Valley in the last 2 weeks) to face the Chargers and CDS D-2 Pre-season Defensive POY Drew Berube.

This should be a great match-up!

I am absolutely licking my chops for this one!!

Joique will be talked about on College Football Live tonight on ESPN2 at 7 PM.

During this past weekend's game, he moved into 5th all-time in career scoring for ALL divisions.

Thanks, KS. I'll DVR it.

Ugh. That was terrible. ESPN did literally a 10-second graphic comparing his stats to Walter Payton...and didn't even have his correct stats on there. Yes, ESPN, over four years, Joique has only played in 20 career games, has 2,800 rushing yards, and 40 TD's. Nice job.

His real career rushing stats:

42 games, 6,340 rushing yards (1,129 attempts), and 85 touchdowns.

Another ho-hum game for Joique this week...314 yards and 3 TD's on 33 carries.

His biggest challenge of the year is next week, as he travels to GVSU to take on the perennial powerhouse.

Chuck Martin, head coach at GVSU, said on the GV Sports Report TV show today that "Joique is the best player I've seen in 10 years at GVSU" ... "It would be a joke if he doesn't win the Harlon Hill."

High praise considering the GLIAC has had guys like Curt Anes, David Kircus, John DiGiorgio, Paul Spicer, Carlton Brewster, Cullen Finnerty, Todd Herremans, etc.

Joique last week was named the GLIAC Player of the Year.

In addition to that, he is now one of the final eight players vying for the Harlon Hill award honoring the best player in D2. The list was cut down from 24.

Joique Bell 2009 hi-lite video ... great stuff ... great balance, speed, and vision. Check where he comes from behind and tackles a would-be 2-point conversion at the 1-yard line - now there is evidence of tremendous competitive desire!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGNMt1ZzJ3Q

Joique will be in Florence, Alabama next weekend for the Harlon Hill Award ceremony as one of the three finalists for the award! Him, Zach Amedro (QB - West Liberty), and Nick Graziano (QB - Arkansas Tech) are the candidates for the award.

Here is a very interesting interview with Joique from Channel 7 news in Detroit - learn why UM and MSU missed out on him (link on WSU sports site) ...

http://www.wsuathletics.com/news/2009/12/7...1207091904.aspx

Once again, Joique comes across as a top-notch individual, with a great upbringing - he has had a phenomenal collegiate career and has a bright NFL future ahead of him.

By the way, the Harlon Hill Award announcement is tomorrow night - best of luck to him - Joqiue HAS to be the "front-runner" - pun intended!

Your 2009 Harlon Hill trophy winner...Joique Bell!

Congratulations!!!

http://harlonhill.com/2009_winner.html

He was our POTY before he was the world's!

CONGRATS, JOIQUE!!

Hey Joique,
Just want to say congrats again, and say how very proud we are.
Uncle Phil & Aunt Eva

Congrats on a very fine showing at the Senior Bowl, Joique.

Give us the low down on how things went, OK?

We've heard nothing but good things about you from this end. What were coaches, scouts, etc., telling you down there?

Joique even though your name is being mispronounced it is an many more lips than it was. Have any teams request more film and who interviewed you?