UConn senior wide receiver Skylar Bell could have left Storrs prior to the Huskies playing in the Fenway. He had offers including one from Michigan that probably would have paid him more NIL money. Instead, Bell opted to stay and leave a positive mark on the UConn Football Program.

“Obviously they got a great program over there, you know, they won the national championship not too long ago and you know everything about it was great, but I just think the idea of finishing what you started here, leaving this place better than what you found it. I think the guys we had last year, especially the seniors did a great job of that.”

The former Taft School standout committed to Wisconsin after high school and played for the Badgers for three seasons. After the 2023 season, the Bronx, New York native transferred to UConn. After catching 50 passes for 850 yards and 5 touchdowns last season, Bell became a hot commodity once he entered the portal. Ultimately however, he did not find what he was looking for despite being offered more to leave.

“I went into the portal during the bowl game process and just seeing what you know what schools were interested in seeing you know where my value was in the portal and things like that and I ended up taking a visit to a couple schools. They were great but I just thought I had a better opportunity for myself and for my career playing at the next level by staying here and finishing what I started here.”

Establishing a legacy at UConn means something to Bell. A rarity in today’s college athletics. Most athletes are consumed with making and playing time.

“I think I just want to build on that, not only for myself, but, for Connecticut, for UConn too. You know, hopefully get this program back to the P5 level and get UConn’s name back on the map, because I want to be one of the people that helped start that.”

Huskies coach Jim Mora Jr. said on Tuesday that several UConn players were offered money to leave for other programs. After weighing their options, they chose to come back.

“I don’t know that this number is exactly accurate but it’s pretty close: just in the spring portal alone, we had players that were approached legally or illegally and offered $3.3 million that they left on the table to come back to Connecticut,” Mora said. “And I think that says a lot about the program, the school, the community, their team, their teammates and certainly their character. That’s something we’re excited about.”

Bell wasn’t the only one who tested the transfer portal waters and opted to come back. Running back Mel Brown did as well and decided to return to Storrs after not finding a better situation. Brown’s decision is a testament to what the football program at UConn has now become. A program that players want to be apart of. Mora has built a culture where the players see themselves growing as athletes and playing at the next level.

Bell credits Mora and the coaching staff for being a big reason why he stayed.

“I just think, Coach Mora, the staff we have, them believing in me when I hit the portal the first time coming from Wisconsin and they bet on me and helping me and molding me a little bit more into the leader and receiver that I’m am. I think just having a trust in them ultimately led to me coming back.”

UConn Football has established itself as a program players want to be a part of. Players like Skylar Bell, who made the decision that he would rather stay and cement his legacy in program history than to leave and be just another talented player who left and made it about himself.