Western Michigan University Athletics

Walt Bell was named the Western Michigan offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in January of 2024. Bell came to WMU with extensive Power 5 coaching experience. He had been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Indiana (2022-23), Florida State (2018) and Maryland (2016-17). Bell was at the University of North Carolina as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator, where he coached eventual first-round draft pick Eric Ebron.

2025: Bell coached the Bronco offense to a MAC Championship and a win in the Mrytle Beach Bowl. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Broc Lowry was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 1,803 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for 963 yards and 14 touchdowns. The rushing output by Lowry was the most by a Western Michigan quarterback in the program's history. Lowry, along with center Raheem Anderson and offensive tackle Chad Schuster earned First Team All-MAC honors. Jalen Buckley rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second time in his career and was named the Offensive MVP of the MAC Champoinship Game and the MVP of the Myrtle Beach Bowl. 

2024: In his first season with the Broncos, he coached WMU to the second-best scoring offense in the MAC at 28.9 points per game. Running backs Jaden Nixon and Buckley combined for 1,602 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns. Nixon was named First Team All-MAC, along with center Jacob Gideon and guard Addison West. Tight end Blake Bosma went on to be named Third Team All-MAC. Both Gideon and West were named All-Americans, with West becoming just the second player in program history to be named a Consensus All-American. 

After that he followed Blake Anderson to Arkansas State (2014-15), where he became the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Under Bell, the Red Wolves averaged over 37 points a game and nearly 500 yards of offense.

Bell also spent three seasons as head coach of UMASS.
 
Bell received two degrees from Middle Tennessee State, where he was a four-year letterman as a wide receiver. He graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's in criminal justice and a master's in sports management in 2006. 
 
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT WALT BELL
Blake Anderson, head coach at Utah State – "Walt is one of the most knowledgeable & innovative offensive minds in college football today. I've always thought he did such a great job under really difficult circumstances of bending and evolving his offensive philosophy & system to fit what was best for the moment. That is a rare talent that very few are blessed with, but seems to come naturally to him."
 
Larry Fedora, former head coach at North Carolina and Southern Miss – "What an excellent hire for Western Michigan. Walt Bell is extremely bright has an innovative offensive mind. Walt does a tremendous job of adjusting his attack based on the skills of the athletes he is coaching. He has the unique ability to run an offense and be a relentless recruiter at the same time."