Christian Bell was taken aback when only weeks before National Signing Day, Alabama coaches told him he'd have to grayshirt if he wanted to join the program.
That's not easy news to hear for a high school star like Bell who was excited to play for the powerhouse just 45 minutes from his Hoover residence. More than anything, a late grayshirt offer can be an ego shot to a player used to being the standout.
After the initial shock was over, Bell opted to stick with the Crimson Tide and use that extra semester of free time constructively. Alabama coaches thought he needed to get bigger and stronger, and that's what he set out to do.
"I knew I had some things to work on," Bell said, "so it wasn't that hard of a decision to make."
While his fellow class of 2015 recruits were getting accustomed to college life in Tuscaloosa, Bell was back in Hoover putting on 20 pounds and working on his quickness. He hired a personal trainer, volunteered as a little league coach and kept as busy as he could.
"It was a very exciting opportunity that my trainer gave to me," Bell said. "I learned that I love it. Now that I did that, I'm definitely gonna have to do that if football doesn't work out."
Now up to 6-foot-4, 240-pounds, Bell projects as a JACK linebacker for the Tide. He'll face tough competition to get on the playing field at that position -- Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson and Rashaan Evans could all compete for the starting spot there -- but is excited to do all he can to make an impact. He enrolled in January and has spent the last two months working with strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran to get himself ready for spring practice in March.
The transition hasn't been easy, but Bell has enjoyed getting to spend time with old Hoover teammates such as Marlon Humphrey. As the lone grayshirt in the class, Bell has connections with both the class of 2015 and class of 2016. It's positives such as that that make Bell happy he stuck around and took the grayshirt even if it meant missing the majority of Alabama's national championship run.
"People, kids our age, usually look at it as a bad thing," he said. "But in the long run it can help you out."