BENOIST HANDY FOR VANDY
Lott Profiles 0903: For use as desired
Patrick Benoist is too small to play major college football. He’s around 6 feet tall and weighs a bit over 200 pounds. A kicker, maybe. A linebacker? No way.
But No. 30 for the Vanderbilt Commodores does indeed play linebacker. Very well, too, thank you.
Turns out, he’s a natural.
Patrick Benoist is a senior from Texas, who had to move a few states east to find his niche in college football.
A starting middle linebacker, Benoist led his team with 109 tackles last season, a season that was the best for Vanderbilt football in more than two decades. The Commodores went 7-6, qualifying for a bowl game for the first time since 1982 and then won the Music City Bowl, 16-14, over Boston College. It was the school’s first bowl victory in 43 years.
That 2008 season earned Benoist All-SEC honors and Vanderbilt’s prestigious Captain’s Award.
Now, he enters his senior season as a strong candidate for The Lott Trophy, awarded to the college defensive player who has the biggest IMPACT* on his team both on and off the field.
(*IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity).
In Texas, Benoist was super, winning the Jack Pardee Award as the top high school linebacker in the state and anchoring a team (Carroll High northwest of Dallas) that went 32-0 over his final two seasons and winning two consecutive 5A titles.
An outstanding student, Benoist was recruited by Stanford, among others, before choosing Vanderbilt. He has continued his academic excellence at Nashville, earning District IV Academic All-American honors the past two years. He’s majoring in economics and will receive his degree this year.
“I think he’s sort of a natural football player,” says Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson. “He just seems to know where the football’s going. Through a lot of hard work, he knows exactly what to do and he rarely makes mental errors. He’s a great example for our guys. He helps with the mental aspects of the game. It’s all just natural for him.”
Preparedness is at the forefront of what makes Benoist tick. “Being mentally prepared and having quick reaction times just helps you be that much better,” he says.
Benoist was good throughout 2008, but he was tremendous on two particular Saturdays.
In an early-season September game, he set the pace for the Commodores’ season by piling up 15 tackles in a 24-17 win over nationally-ranked South Carolina. He was named the National Player of the Week. Against Auburn a few weeks later, he registered 13 tackles, two for losses, a sack and a goal-line stop on fourth down, again leading his team to victory and being named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
“It was very humbling,” he said about the honors. “I’m just happy they came in big wins for the team.”
Named after Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Founded in 2004 by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The Lott Trophy is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. The Lott Trophy is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and the Legends Coaches which is a distinguished group of former college football head coaches. The sixth annual Lott Trophy dinner will be held December 13th at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California.
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