Now in his eighth season, Coach Kerwin Bell began leading the Jacksonville University football team in 2007 and since his hiring has made tremendous progress toward his goal of having a total championship program while taking the program to heights never dreamed of before.
Under his direction, the Dolphins have won two Pioneer Football League championships, set the PFL record with 16 consecutive wins and owned at one point the nation’s longest home win streak with 18., Bell’s teams have combined for more PFL wins the past five seasons than any other team in the league owning an impressive 32-8 mark.
The championships began in 2008 when the Dolphins won their first league title with a 7-1 league record (9-4 overall) and had their first unbeaten season at home along with a six-game win streak. The breakthrough season didn’t go unrecognized as Bell was honored as the PFL Coach of the Year.
In 2010, Bell led the Dolphins to a 10-1 record, best in school history. The offense, under Bell’s watchful eye, led the nation in total offense with 486 yards per game and in scoring with a 42.2 points per game average. JU ended the season ranked 23rd, won its second PFL title and was in the midst of two winning streaks that continued into 2011.
The Dolphins have continued hunting championships over the past two seasons remaining in contention until the final week of the year.
In addition to his head coaching duties, Bell also serves as the Dolphins offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Under his watch, Josh McGregor ended his JU career in 2011 ranked sixth all-time in FCS history with 116 touchdown passes.
Since Bell began his JU career, the team has had 24 first team All-PFL players and two Freshmen of the Year honorees (McGregor and Mike Klein).
In the classroom, the Dolphins have showed steady, improving progress in 2012 alone the team landed a program best 45 student-athletes on the PFL Academic Honor Roll.
| Bell Year-By-Year |
| Year | | School | | Overall | | PFL (Finish) |
| 2007 | | Jacksonville | | 3-8 | | 2-5 (T-7th) |
| 2008 | | Jacksonville | | 9-4 | | 7-1 (1st) |
| 2009 | | Jacksonville | | 7-4 | | 5-3 (T-3rd) |
| 2010 | | Jacksonville | | 10-1 | | 8-0 (T-1st) |
| 2011 | | Jacksonville | | 7-4 | | 6-2 (3rd) |
| 2012 | | Jacksonville | | 7-4 | | 5-3 (T-4th) |
| 2013 | | Jacksonville | | 5-6 | | 4-4 (6th) |
| Total | | 7 Seasons | | 48-30 (.615) | | 37-18 (.672) |
The Kerwin Bell File
• Hometown: Mayo, Fla. / Lafayette County High School
• College: University of Florida, ‘87
• Degree: B.S. Psychology
• Personal: Wife: Cosette. Children: Kade, 21, Kolton, 18 and Kenzley, 14
• Philosophy: The mark of a championship team goes back to the quality of players you have. If we have character we can accomplish anything we want as a team.
Coaching Highlights
• 2008 & 2010 Pioneer Football League Champions
• 2008 PFL Coach of the Year
• Led Trinity Catholic HS (Ocala) to a 45-15 record from 2001-2006 winning the 2005 Class 2B Championship and finishing runner-up in 2006
• Toronto Argonauts Offensive Coordinator (2000-2001)
• University of Florida Graduate Assistant (1990)
Playing Experience
• University of Florida quarterback 1983-87
• 1984 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year
• 1985, 1986 honorable mention All-American
• 1987 team captain
• Threw for 7,585 yards and 56 touchdowns in his career
• Inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame as a “Gator Great” in 1997
• Drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round (180th pick overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft
• NFL career consisted of stops with Atlanta (1988), Tampa Bay (1989) and Indianapolis (1996-97)
• His career 158.3 NFL passer rating in the highest rating of any quarterback in NFL history
• Spent seven years in the Canadian Football League with Sacramento (1993-94), Edmonton (1995), Toronto (1998), Winnipeg (1999) and Toronto (2000, 2001)
• Played two seasons for Orlando (1991-92) in the World Football League
