Renard Bell impresses WSU coaches during Thursday scrimmage

PULLMAN – Renard Bell played so well during Washington State’s Thursday Night Football scrimmage, the freshman received praise from offense and defensive coaches.

“No. 81 on offense today, he was amazing,” inside linebackers coach Ken Wilson said. “He was all over the place. It was like having a little bug run around out there.”

“We recruited him for that reason, so he could come here and flash,” inside receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard said. “That’s what he does. The kid can run, cut on a dime. That’s what we recruited him for.”

At 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, Bell likely has some eating to do before he sees the field. But the Cougars will have Robert Lewis at the H-position this year and next, and Kyle Sweet for another year after.

In the meantime, Bell can keep flashing the skills that hint at a potential impact player once he’s had some seasoning.

Bell’s first catch came on a deep pass from Anthony Gordon. The receiver made the catch against the sideline, and used a spin move to break free of one tackler and gain additional yards before he was shoved out of bounds for a gain of about 45 yards.

Bell did make one freshman move, fumbling after gaining about 11 yards on the first play of Trey Tinsley’s series at quarterback. Later, Bell caught another pass from Tinsley for about 13 yards.

One receiver who probably will not be scrimmaging on Thursdays much longer is receiver C.J. Dimry. The 6-5 receiver dominated the scrimmage last week and again looked like a player capable of helping the team on Saturday.

The first play of the scrimmage saw Dimry take a slant route 30 yards, although with a fumble at the end. Still, Dimry’s size and speed make him a unique weapon, one the Cougars can likely use to great effect near the red zone, if not more often.

Junior safety Darius Lemora had the best defensive day, intercepting Gordon while covering a crossing route, recovering Bell’s fumble and making a number of tackles. Lemora started 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2014, but played sparingly last season.

He has played well in the preseason, however, and defensive coaches have singled him out as a player who is taking advantage of his opportunities to get back on the field.