BOCA RATON – Defensive ends don’t usually run to the passing machine after practice for a extra practice – any practice, really – catching footballs, but that’s where Anthony Bennett could be found as the clock ticked near noon late last week.
“As a kid I always wanted to be a tight end,” Bennett said somewhat sheepishly.
That Bennett plays defense doesn’t take away from his versatility. In fact, the Owls are trying to take advantage of his athleticism.
At 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Bennett is a little small for defensive end. To compensate, the Owls are asking Bennett to do some tasks normally assigned to linebackers – including covering tight ends and running backs in pass patterns.
“There’s not lot of difference between open side defensive end and outside (strong side) linebackers,” FAU coach Lane Kiffin said.
Bennett says his new hybrid role is similar to what he did in high school.
“It’s just a different technique,” Bennett said. “As soon as you get the technique down then you start moving faster and faster.”
Bennett is one of two walk-ons whose name can be written – at least in pencil – on the defensive two deep.
Linebacker Hosea Barnwell is the other. After attending FAU last season without playing on the football team, Barnwell joined the Owls for the spring and ended spring practices as a first-team linebacker. With some linebackers out of practice on Monday, Barnwell worked his way back to the first team.
“I guess he’s our small version of Rudy,” said Kiffin, referring to the film about an undersized walk-on Notre Dame defensive lineman who found a way to get on the field.
Kiffin mentioned Barnwell by name when praising players who performed well in Saturday’s scrimmage.
Barnwell played middle linebacker on Monday, with Azeez Al-Shaair making the defensive calls from the weak side position.
“In spring I was more lackadaisical getting to the ball so me basically flying sideline to sideline, that’s what I’m basically doing to improve myself,” Barnwell said.
Both Bennett and Barnwell will likely need to hold off charges from JUCO players still learning the system and returning injured players to retain their spots on the depth chart heading into the season.
The amount of playing time Bennett and Barnwell receive will be determined in the coming weeks, but it’s growing increasingly difficult to envision a scenario – outside of injury – where they don’t have the opportunity to make an impact against Navy.
“I’m just doing everything I can to get on the field and get that scholarship,” Bennett said.
And that’s the real reason why Bennett spent that extra time catching passes – any little advantage he can get could help him and, in turn, the Owls.
He may not ever be the target of a pass, but he may have the opportunity to intercept one, so he wants to be prepared.
It’s a focus that begs the question: For a defensive end, is an interception better than a sack?
Bennett leans toward the interception before ultimately splitting the difference.
“Personally, we always want the ball, but a strip sack is also good,” Bennett said. “Strip sack, you get the ball back. What ever we can do to get the ball.”
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