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Coach Analysis: Deago Benson

VandySports.com caught up with Midlothian head coach Doug Wendel to discuss Vanderbilt running back signee Deago Benson. Midlothian finished 2022 with a 12-1 record.

- On what kind of player Vanderbilt is getting in Deago Benson:

Doug Wendel: "Stud player. He’s been phenomenal for us for three years. He’s been very consistent. He’s been a hard working young man. He’s a hard running back that I think is just reaching his potential. We didn’t use his abilities as well as we could have and probably should have. We are a running, flex-bone offense with triple option. He has great hands, and I think he will be exceptional out of the backfield catching the ball. More than that, Vanderbilt is getting a great person. He’s just a great self-made kid. This community has wrapped their arms around him and raised him, and he’s just a consistently good hearted person.”

- How Deago Benson’s skill set translates to the college game:

Wendel: "Obviously getting to talk to a lot of college coaches over the past couple of years, everyone is looking for a 6-foot kid that is 195-pounds that can run a 4.6 or 4.5 forty or something like that. He ran a 10.8 in a district track meet. I think his size separates him. He’s learned to lower his shoulder a little bit and run over people. He’s learned back shoulder cuts. He’s learned over the past fifteen or sixteen months how to practice and bring it everyday. I think he’s got a great skill set. He’s just a physical football player with exceptional hands. He blessed with the size that he has with the speed that he runs.”

- On his favorite memory of Deago Benson:

Wendel: "It’s probably his smile. He has a beautiful smile and a love for life. He’s the same kid every single day. He really put the team on his back this year. He just led. Last year, it was in the playoffs, and it was a 4th and 2. We usually go for it in that situation. The ball was on our own 35-yard line. We were playing Coronado. We were up by 3 or 4 points. It was a less than a touchdown game. It was 4th and 2, and I said punt. It was a timeout. Deago says, ‘give me the ball. I’ll get it. Just give me the ball.’ He was smiling. I said 'ok'. I went for it, and he got 2 and a half yards. We got the first down.”

- On his leadership qualities:

Wendel: "He became vocal his senior year. He’s a different guy on Friday nights than he is on Saturday. He’s a great competitor. He gets fired up about competition. He gets fired up about close games. He doesn’t flinch. He believes in himself. He believes and trusts in his teammates. So he will be vocal, enthusiastic, and passionate. What he had to learn and I’ve seen a lot of college athletes have to do this. Typically they stand out their sophomore and junior years. So, they don’t have to work very hard to be the best player on their team. That’s what your typical D1 players are like. If they aren’t standing out, they aren’t D1 players. So, he’s had to learn that he’s been gifted this talent. He’s had to learn and push to work at a championship caliber rate every single day. I feel like he was really close to that if not great at it this year on the practice field and getting closer to that in the weight room. I’ve seen tremendous growth in his as a person and a athlete and from a maturity standpoint. I’ve known him since the 5th or 6th grade. He’s a great kid consistently. He’s had great grades. He’s great in the school building. He’s going to represent Vanderbilt is a really good way. He is one that people are going to love at the university.”

- Do you think he will be ready to play as a true freshman in the SEC?

Wendel: “Well, that is obviously a big jump. I will say this, he’s got the physical skill set to do it. We work on Saturdays and Sundays, so I don’t get to see a lot of Vanderbilt football. I don’t know what is going to be asked of him. Some offenses are easy to learn. In some of those offenses where they ask those guys to double or triple read and know pass protection. Not that I’m concerned about that for him. If it’s an easy offense for him to learn, he’s going to do great. If he’s got to make dual reads in pass protection, I’m not sure, but that will probably decide how much he plays early probably. It’ll come down to how quickly he learns the offense. It’ll be the coach’s job to teach him. From a physical standpoint with his bench, squat, power clean, dead lift, 40-time, he’s going to be fine from a physical standpoint. That’s one of the things that attracted him to Vanderbilt. When the OC was down to see him, they felt that they had an opportunity to play as a freshman, and I think he was intrigued by that.”

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