Mike Bellamy flattered with comparisons to NFL star

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Jul 17 10:32:44 GMT-04:00 2010

CLEMSON -- Whenever the name of Clemson commitment Mike Bellamy pops up on college football recruiting and message boards, the comparison between Bellamy and Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson are sure to follow.

And it’s no wonder – both are out of central Florida, are of similar size [Bellamy is 5-10 and up to 187, while Johnson is 5-11, 200) and speed is usually the first thing mentioned when talk of either running back begins. Johnson is considered by many to be one of the fastest players in the NFL, and Bellamy, the No. 2-rated running back in the nation and No. 13 recruit overall, is considered to be one of the preeminent burners in the 2011 recruiting class.

TigerNet spoke with Bellamy on Friday, and he said that he is flattered when he is compared to the Titans’ star, and actually patterns his style of play after Johnson. But the relationship goes deeper than that – Bellamy actually is pretty good friends with Johnson, and said he counts on him for advice and guidance.

“I know him really well, because me and him are from the same neighborhood,” Bellamy said. “We have the same track coach and same AAU coach. He is a fast guy like me, also. He is like an older brother to me, and he is all about me getting my education first. He says to worry about the grades first. And when it came to picking a school, he told me to go with whatever school made me happy. And that is Clemson.”

Bellamy said he has known Johnson since he was five or six years old, and he looks at everything Chris has accomplished and can only hope to achieve the same success.

“It is weird sometimes when I see him playing on TV, and then I see him later hanging around town,” Bellamy said. “I look at everything he has done, and I know that is how I want to be in a couple of years if I can manage it. He has shown me a lot of things, and I can see that he has a lot of nice things, and that just gives me something to push for.”

Bellamy was asked what it was about Clemson that made him happy, and he said it was hard to explain, but he “fell in love” with the area.

“Clemson is a great town, a great place to be in,” he said. “I went up there and fell in love with it from the first day I saw it. I get along well with all of the coaches, and coach Brad Scott actually graduated high school with my grandmother [Ernestine Tyler, the two went to DeSoto High School] so they are friends. I talk to coach Napier and all of those guys are great. I am just happy to be a part of that team.”

Bellamy rushed for 2,160 yards, averaging 9.97 yards per carry, and finished with 31 touchdowns to lead the state of Florida in that category in 2009, and he said that he envisions coming to Clemson and being used much like the Clemson coaches used C.J. Spiller.

“That is one of my goals, to just let the coaches get me the ball as much as possible,” he said. “I know that I still have to share time with Marlin Lane, who is another great running back, but I am just happy to be a part of those guys and a part of a great 2011 recruiting class. I am sure they will find a way to share the ball with all of us.”


2011 Football Commitments


Shaq Anthony        OL   6-5  260 Piedmont, SC (Wren HS)


Isaiah Battle	    OL	 6-7  260 St George, Virginia (Blue Ridge HS)


Mike Bellamy	    RB	 5-10 180 Punta Gorda, FL (Charlotte HS)


Cortez Davis        DB   6-3  200 Daytona Beach, FL (Mainland HS)


Joe Gore            DE   6-6  262 Lake Waccamaw, NC (East Columbus HS)


Adam Humphries      WR   5-11 176 Roebuck, SC (Dorman HS)


Grady Jarrett	    DL	 6-1  280 Conyers, GA (Rockdale County HS)


Marlin Lane         RB   6-1  190 Daytona Beach, FL (Mainland HS)


Eric MacLain        TE   6-5  245 Fayetteville, NC Jack (Britt HS)


Jerome Maybank      DT   6-4  310 Pawley's Island (Waccamaw HS)


Tony McNeal         QB   6-1  180 Chester, SC (Chester, HS)


Ryan Norton         OL   6-4  275 Mauldin, SC (Mauldin HS)


Charone Peake       WR   6-3  200 Spartanburg, SC (Dorman HS)


Robert Smith        ATH  6-0  180 Ft Dorchester, SC (Woodland HS)


Colton Walls        LB   6-2  230 Charlotte, NC (Latin HS)


DeShaun Williams    DT   6-0  280 Central, SC (Daniel HS)