The Commodores needed a lot of big plays from their defense to have the season they had in 2008, and linebacker Patrick Benoist was involved in plenty of them.
After a while, it became expected, almost natural, to see No. 30 on the ball on nearly every play.
"I think he's sort of a natural football player," said Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson. "He just seems to know where the ball's going."
If Benoist's numbers are any indication, Johnson is right.
Playing at the weakside linebacker position, Benoist ranked 1st on the team and 3rd in the SEC in 2008 with 109 tackles, including 6.5 for loss and 2 sacks, showing an impressive ability to read offensive plays as they unfolded and using his athleticism to make stops.
But while he credits his lateral quickness as an important asset on the field, more important than that is his knowledge of football itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment