Florida State expected to hire OC Bell away from Maryland

Maryland offensive coordinator Walt Bell is expected to be hired as Florida State's offensive coordinator, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday.

Bell, 32, will join the staff of new Seminoles head coach Willie Taggart, who took over after Jimbo Fisher left to take the Texas A&M head coaching job.

Two other Maryland offensive assistants have already left: Anthony Tucker departed to become the running backs coach at Central Florida and offensive line coach Tyler Bowen left to take the same position at Penn State.

Bell was one of Maryland coach DJ Durkin's first hires when he took over in College Park in 2015. Bell brought an up-tempo spread offense to Maryland, which finished 11th in the Big Ten in points (24.1) and total yards per game (323) in 2017.

The Terps scored 51 points against Texas in a season-opening win in Austin. But Maryland lost its top two quarterbacks, Tyrrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill, to season-ending injuries within the first three weeks. The Terps finished the season with a 4-8 record.

Bell coached seven quarterbacks at Maryland, which has been plagued by injuries at that position.