CHARLOTTE, NC — Growing up in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Louisville football wide receiver Chris Bell had to be creative.
The town of 9,407, according to a 2025 census, presented few options for Bell and his friends, so they turned to sports. Football not only became his favorite activity but also his ticket out of his hometown.
Almost 2,000 miles west, Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss didn’t have a shortage of things to do growing up in Los Angeles. Playing football took the USC transfer all over Southern California, where the average population of a city is between 75,000 and 150,000.
In most cases, there wouldn’t have been an opportunity for Moss and Bell to cross paths. But a shared love of football and Louisville has allowed them to not only meet but also develop a relationship that bodes well for the Cardinals’ offense this season.
“We are from very different worlds,” Moss said. “There’s a ton of common ground just in the type of people we are, the goals that we have for ourselves and for this season and wanting to be the best version of ourselves. I think there’s a lot of common ground when it comes to that. I have a ton of respect for him, and I can’t wait to see what he does this year. I think it’s gonna be awesome.”
Bell and Moss saw each other from opposite sidelines during the 2023 Holiday Bowl. But they formally met when Moss attended Louisville’s postseason volleyball match against Purdue on Dec. 12. Bell’s outgoing personality and work ethic were the first things Moss noticed, while the latter was more laid-back. It was much different than what Bell was used to with former quarterback Tyler Shough, who was more outgoing and playful. The one similarity between the quarterbacks is a competitive edge.
“My first impression was he’s a dog,” Bell said of Moss. “He’s grounded. He’s ready to play football.”
Moss and Bell got to know each other more after Moss committed to Louisville and moved into Bell’s apartment building. And when Bell’s car was out of commission, Moss gave him rides to workouts and spring practices while listening to Drake and PartyNextDoor’s new album, “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U.”
“It’s just little stuff like that that helps us build that connection,” Bell said.
But having a connection off the field doesn’t necessarily guarantee it’ll translate during games. So, Moss, Bell and the Cardinals’ other receivers have voluntarily gotten together on Saturdays during the summer to run routes.
Much like a Drake and PartyNextDoor track, timing and rhythm are everything in making sure the chemistry between Moss and Bell pays off. Moss uses Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp as an example of how to know the quarterback-receiver chemistry is strong.
“When my back foot is hitting the top of my drop as they’re hitting the top of their route and the ball is coming out, I think that’s usually a good sign that you’re pretty in sync,” Moss said. “Obviously, it’s not an exact science or benchmark just because different guys have different speeds. But I think as I’m able to play with more and more anticipation and cut it loose, I think that’s a sign of my comfortability with the receiver. So just working more and more toward that.”
Bell’s inclination is to “empty the tank” and “go 100%” on every rep, Moss said, which accelerates their process of chemistry and alignment. The two will have fall camp to continue piecing everything together before Louisville’s season opener against Eastern Kentucky on Aug. 30.
This will be the last year of college for Moss and Bell, who were brought together by football but will leave Louisville with a newly developed friendship.
“Adversity and difficult things that you’re going to face throughout the course of the fall season is inevitable,” Moss said. “So I think it’s really important to have those relationships to fall back on where regardless of what’s going on at any given point in time, the other person has a perspective in terms of knowing where you come from.”
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at ac****@*****tt.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football: Miller Moss, Chris Bell have recipe for success
