Football | September 13, 2018

Feature special to wmubroncos.com by Paul Morgan

KALAMAZOO, Mich.- On the football field, Western Michigan University running back LeVante Bellamy is a very good player.

The junior from Indianapolis averaged more than eight yards per carry through the first six games in 2017 before suffering a season-ending injury against Akron on Oct. 15. He also caught seven passes for 54 yards. In 2016, he was off to a great start, averaging 7.5 yards per carry before an injury curtailed that season.

Because the Broncos had several leaders in his first two seasons, the quiet Bellamy was content to watch and learn from them.

This season, you can take the 'quiet' away from his name.

''Bellamy is like a new man as far as his leadership and poise,'' WMU head coach Tim Lester said. ''For two games in a row, he's said something super mature to the team.''

Western Michigan (0-2) will be going for its first win on Saturday when the Broncos host Delaware State (0-2) in the annual CommUniverCity Night game at Waldo State. Game time is 7 p.m.

Bellamy has started out well this season, gaining 185 yards on 22 carries (8.4 yards per carry) and has scored two touchdowns. And he has started out very well by being one of the vocal leaders for his teammates.

Lester shares a story which shows how Bellamy has come out of his off-field shell in a big way.

''At the end of the Syracuse game, I was giving my speech in the locker room about fight and how we had come back and things we need to build upon,'' he said. ''Bellamy said, 'Coach, can I say something?' and I said sure.

''He stood up and gave a great speech, saying this was the first time since he's been here, that at halftime, there was a belief in everyone's eyes. He said, 'I love you guys.' That was fun.''

At halftime, the Broncos trailed Syracuse, 34-7, but they came back to outscore the Orange 35- 21.

''At halftime, the lack of panic was apparent, and coming from LeVante, it was big.''

Win or lose, Bellamy is not one to encourage his teammates to think about that game for very long.

''We can't focus on that we lost our first two games, but that you are 0-0 and have another game this week,'' he said. ''The minute the Michigan game ended, it's not you lost 49-3, it's that you have to flip to the next week.

''We can't dwell on Michigan last week … we are 0-0 this week and let's be 1-0 after this Saturday.''

The evolution of a vocal leader can be hard.

''I didn't not want to speak in the past, but it was more my place to stay quiet because the leaders were already in place,'' Bellamy said. ''I waited my turn.

''Jamauri (senior running back Jamauri Bogan) is a great leader. He can connect easily with people. He takes so much pride in what he says. He is the definition of a leader. You should be able to look up the word 'leader' and see a picture of his smiling face.''

Lester is impressed with how Bellamy can connect with many different players, especially one-on-one.

''I can look around the locker room and see him a sitting with another player, just having a conversation," Lester said. "He'll be talking to Chase (freshman running back Chase Brown) or to a blocker about where Bellamy is going to be on a play and what he sees.''

And what does Bellamy talk about with his teammates?

''Off the field, I tend to care more about you as a person, ask you about how your family is doing, making sure we're on the same page,'' he said. ''If something is wrong, we can have it corrected before the next game. You want to encourage the young guys and never leave them not knowing something.''

It's Brown who has listened and is emulating the team's leaders, about being there for his teammates.

''Against Michigan, Chase ran eight straight plays before we kicked the field goal and he was exhausted,'' Lester said. ''And he was on the kickoff team.

''Coach Wright (Dontae Wright, co-special teams coordinator) said he needed Chase's replacement on the kickoff team and Chase said, 'No, that's my team and I'm going in.' Chase flew down the field and made a great tackle after eight straight carries and a field goal.''

Bellamy has been doing it on the field, too, coming off two surgeries last year.

''You can't really think about the past injuries because it will keep you from getting where you want to be,'' he said. ''Just play, don't think about what's going to happen, the wins or loses, just play.''

Or in Bellamy's case, just run, like the 4.32 40-yard dash he did before this season started.

''I didn't know what I ran, and right afterwards, everyone was looking at me like I was a ghost or something,'' he said with a big smile. ''When they told me what I ran, I was more excited for the team. It made me happy because it made them happy.''

Adds Lester: ''Leadership and work ethic are fine, but the bottom line is Bellamy is a great football player.''

And becoming a good leader, too.