Bell makes major strides in final year, breaks every Naperville North single season passing record

Naperville North football coach Sean Drendel had a front-row position to watch the maturation process of Jacob Bell.

Last season as a junior, Bell had a solid season, helping quarterback the Huskies to a 6-4 record and Class 8A playoff berth that ended with a 23-8 first-round loss to Glenbard West.

During the offseason, Bell immediately went to work.

“I worked on everything,” said Bell. “I put on 10 pounds. I worked with a quarterback trainer to fine-tune my mechanics. I watched a lot of film. I worked on the cognizant side of the game. I prepared for looks from opponents’ defenses.

“I slowed down the game as a whole.”

Entering his senior season, Bell realized that expectations would be bigger.

“I knew more would be on me with the graduation of our top running back, Cole Arl,” said Bell. “I prepared extra hard because I knew I needed to step up.”

Bell certainly stepped up – and then some.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior enjoyed a memorable season, leading the Huskies to a 7-3 record and their fourth consecutive 8A playoff appearance while breaking every single-season school passing record.

For his efforts, Bell has been selected as the Daily Herald’s 2024 DuPage All-Area football captain.

Completing 250 of 396 passes for 3,075 yards and 38 touchdowns, Bell accounted for 3,223 total yards of offense and 44 combined touchdowns.

“Last year, Jacob was a young junior who had just turned 16,” said Drendel. “Early in the season, it was tough on him at times.

“He made tremendous growth in the offseason. He wanted to learn and have us put everything on his plate. We designed our offense to give him more opportunities this season.”

Bell began the season with a bang, completing 18 of 27 passes for 270 yards and 4 touchdowns while adding a touchdown run during the Huskies’ 42-14 nonconference victory over New Trier.

The season opener served as a huge confidence builder for Bell.

“I didn’t have five touchdowns in any game last year,” he said. “I knew I could do it.”

Despite throwing for 345 yards and 3 touchdowns in Week 2, Bell wound up on the losing end of a 24-21 decision against crosstown rival Naperville Central.

Bell shook off that loss quickly, rallying the Huskies to a 21-20 Week 3 overtime win over Lincoln-Way Central.

With his team trailing late, Bell connected with teammate Quinn Morris on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 2:35 left to send the game into overtime. Facing a 4th-and-goal situation from the 16-yard line in the extra session, Bell tossed a touchdown pass to Morris, and Tyler Duewel’s PAT kick sealed the victory.

“A year ago, he struggled in some tough situations,” said Drendel. “This year, he wanted the ball and he came through.

“He understood when to put his foot on the pedal and when to take it off. As a coach, I loved how he competes.”

Bell threw a pair of touchdown passes in the Huskies’ Week 4 loss to perennial powerhouse Lincoln-Way East, then responded with three straight 3-TD passing games during the Huskies’ wins over Lockport, Lincoln-Way West, and Neuqua Valley.

He saved his best performance for Week 8.

Defying the odds, Bell rallied his team to a memorable 63-62 double-overtime triumph over Homewood-Flossmoor.

“It was a crazy, wild game,” said Drendel. “We were not in a good spot, trailing by 15 with two minutes remaining.

“That’s the other piece of this – the kids believed in him.”

Bell completed 27 of 39 passes for 310 yards and 7 touchdowns, while adding a pair of touchdown runs – becoming the first player in the state of Illinois since 2021 - and 11th player ever - to account for 9 touchdowns in a game.

“I had no idea what had happened until my little brother, who was the stats guy, told me after the game,” said Bell. “We believed the whole game.”

Bell became the first Huskies quarterback to throw 30 touchdown passes in a season when he connected with Nick Manzardo for a TD during a 44-34 Week 9 win over Sandburg.

In the first round of the 8A playoffs, Bell and Maine South quarterback Jameson Purcell locked up in another shootout.

Bell passed for 422 yards and 4 touchdowns, but Purcell finished with 479 yards passing and 6 TDs as the Hawks outlasted Naperville North, 49-42.

“It was kind of like the H-F game,” said Bell. “Our defense gave us a chance late, but we had one or two missed opportunities.”

The Huskies’ conference move from the already tough DuPage Valley to the powerful Southwest Valley Blue presented additional challenges for Bell.

“The competition was exceptional,” he said. “I loved the DVC, but this was even more ramped up with the number of D1 players.

“Looking back, I love the way we grinded it out through the gauntlet of a schedule. Five of our games were decided by one score.”

Bell benefited from a solid offensive line, led by Austin Roush and Daniel Jurjovec, along with a strong receiving corps that included Plainfield North transfer Morris, Brock Pettaway, Chico Thomas, Finnian Bretag, and Manzardo.

His older brother, Jon, a junior quarterback at South Dakota State, was a member of the Jackrabbits’ FCS National Championship squad last season.

“He has been great,” Jacob said of his older brother. “We’re not that close in age but he helped show me what the Huskie program is all about.”

Bell, who has always been a fan of Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud, is verbally committed to Ball State.

“Now, I’m going to focus on building my body and getting in even better shape for the college game,” he said.

“It has been a lot of fun playing for coach Drendel,” said Bell. “I’ve known him since I was 9 or 10 years old. He was my feeder basketball coach when I was in sixth grade. We have a good relationship.”

Drendel now awaits the arrival of Bell’s two younger brothers – now in eighth and fifth grade, respectively.

“They both said they’re going to break Jacob’s school records,” said the coach. “They’re not lacking confidence.”