FORT COLLINS — The makeshift calendar is thumbtacked to the wall just above Kyle Bell’s bed. It has the date Sept. 1 circled in red.

Every night for 150 days leading to Colorado State’s 2007 opener against rival Colorado at Invesco Field at Mile High on Saturday, Bell has reached up with a marker and crossed off another date.

Two days remain. Bell is stoked.

"I've been thinking about this game ever since the day I was told my knee ligament was torn last August," CSU's powerful junior running back said Wednesday after another productive, incident-free practice. "I've spent a lot of time looking at that countdown sheet. I put it up there to remind myself of what I've been through and how great it'll be to be back out there helping my team."

Last August, a few months after completing a breakout 1,288-yard sophomore season, Bell went down in practice with a freak injury in his right knee.

The torn anterior cruciate ligament robbed him of his 2006 season and in his absence, the Rams put up some of the worst rushing numbers in Division I-A while finishing a disappointing 4-8.

Now Bell, the leading all-time Colorado high school rusher, the small-town kid from Keenesburg, the high school valedictorian with the warm smile, is back.

But how far back?

Will he remind people of the churning, yard-gobbling machine that led CSU to a bowl in 2005? Is he the Kyle Bell of old?

Absolutely, CSU running backs coach Mick Delaney said.

"Not only do I think people will see the Kyle Bell of old, I think they'll see a better Kyle Bell," said Delaney, coach Sonny Lubick's veteran right-hand man. "He's a year older and more mature. He's stronger. He's faster. He's a better pass blocker. He understands the game and the schemes better. And his knee is absolutely sound.

"He's prepared himself perfectly for this. I don't see any limits at all in what he can do."

A Kyle Bell with no limits was a scary prospect for opponents in 2005. He finished 22nd in Division I-A with 107 rushing yards a game.

His rare combination of speed, power, passion and intelligence continually kept defenses grasping at air.

But then came the injury. And now come the questions.

"Probably at least six or seven times a day," Bell said Wednesday with a grin when asked how many times people have asked about his knee.

"But that's OK. That tells me people care about our team and have a genuine concern about me. It's been a constant source of motivation during the rehab."

Bell sailed through rehabilitation with flying colors, going the extra mile, working closely on a daily basis with CSU trainer Terry DeZeeuw.

By spring ball, Bell was ready for full-pads hitting but was held back as a precaution. He came into preseason camp raring to go. But, as with any athlete coming off knee surgery, his body had to convince his brain everything was OK.

That revelation came 10 days after the start of practice when safety Jake Galusha hit Bell hard just above his right knee during a scrimmage.

"It was a good, clean hit, and I remember that everything on the practice field stopped," Delaney said. "Then Kyle jumped right up and ran back to the huddle. He looked at me and kind of smiled, and I smiled back. It was an important moment for him."

And for the Rams. Lubick's best teams at CSU always have featured a strong, tough workhorse back who loves to carry the ball early and often.

Think Cecil Sapp. Think Kevin McDougal. That was Bell in 2005.

There's no reason to think that can't be Bell in 2007.

Delaney's biggest job this summer has been to convince Bell not to try to do too much too soon.

"We had a nice, long talk (Wednesday), and I just told him, 'Look, don't try to force things. Don't think you're the savior of the world and you can do everything by yourself. We're not asking you to do that. We're just asking you to be Kyle Bell. Go play hard and have some fun.' "

Bell is determined to have a good time Saturday. Goodness knows he has waited interminably for the moment.

"I love it that my first game back is against CU," he said. "Every athlete, whether he wants to admit it or not, loves being in the spotlight. To be on that big a stage in my first game back, I think that's fantastic.

"I've laid in bed thinking about this game, playing it over in my mind, for a year now. Now it's almost here. It's very, very exciting."

Bell wants to give CSU fans plenty of excitement the next three months.

Bell's career

Year Att. Yards Avg. TD

2004 26 96 3.7 0

2005 276 1,288 4.7 10

Totals 302 1,384 4.6 10

• CSU career bests

Yards: 197 vs. Air Force, 2005.

Carries: 35 vs. Wyoming, 2005.

Touchdowns: Three vs. Air Force, 2005.

• Weld County High School: Ran for 8,248 yards in four seasons, the highest rushing total in Colorado high school history.

• Nonfootball highlights: Carries a 3.5 grade-point average in technical journalism. Valedictorian of Weld County Class of 2004, posting a cumulative grade-point average of 4.15. Also competed in high school in basketball, baseball and track and field. Active in various Fort Collins-area community youth programs.

holtzr@RockyMountainNews.com

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