After he graduated from the University of Arkansas, in 1962 Bell began his coaching career at VMI. From there he coached at Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Texas Tech and South Carolina as a defensive coach. On January 9, 1982, Bell was formally introduced as the 27th head coach in the history of the South Carolina program. Be had previously served for seven seasons as the Gamecocks defensive coordinator under previous head coach Jim Carlen. After a disappointing 4–7 season, Bell was fired by athletic director Bob Marcum on December 1, 1982.