5. Travis Benjamin (WR): It is going to be tough for a wide receiver to ‘break out’ in Shannon’s five man rotation, but Benjamin possesses the traits to do so. What Travis lacks in size (5’10″), he makes up for with speed. He is not only the fastest player on the football team but is also the fastest member of the Hurricane track and field team, boasting a 60 meter time of 6.74 seconds. Benjamin has shown flashes of brilliance, having his best games of the year against Florida State in each of the past two seasons. If his spring game performance is any indication (6 rec, 171 yds, TD), the junior from Glades Central High is going to have a big 2010.
4.Vaughn Telemaque (S): Telemaque has earned rave reviews for his elevated play this spring. Coach Randy Shannon – not one to inflate the egos of his players – has been so impressed with his play that he compared the redshirt sophomore to former Hurricane great Ed Reed. The former Long Beach native ranked fifth in tackles in 2009 and should improve on those numbers. Coupled with Ray Ray Armstrong, expectations are high for a Hurricane secondary that was viewed as a weakness last year.
3. Marcus Forston (DL): After being named to several first team freshman All-American lists in 2008, Forston sat out most of 2009 with an injured shoulder and received a medical hardship from the NCAA. Forston was as advertised his freshman year, but never seemed to match that intensity at the start of 2009. The former Northwestern High graduate has since had surgery to repair his injured shoulder and has been given a clean bill of health. It is imperative that Forston not only plays, but returns to being a disruptive force in the middle. Doing so will allow Allen Bailey to move back to his natural defensive end position. The coaching staff had been forced to move Bailey to the middle, but would prefer to use his athleticism on the outside.
2. Ray Ray Armstrong (S): Watching game film, Armstrong’s talent jumps out of the screen. Plays happen when he’s around and we haven’t seen such size and closing speed at the safety position since Sean Taylor. The 6’4″ Armstrong had his breakout game against Oklahoma last year, recording a career high 7 tackles. After missing three games due to injury, the true sophomore is healthy and ready to become a star. His two interceptions during the spring game indicate that big things lie ahead for the former Seminole High School graduate.
1. Damien Berry (RB): Berry was third on the team last year in carries, trailing Graig Cooper and Javarris James. With James NFL bound and Cooper recovering from torn knee ligaments, the reigns have been handed to Berry. In 2009 he averaged a team high 6.6 yards per carry and led the team with 8 touchdowns. Berry has momentum going into the year, having scored a touchdown in 7 of his last 9 games. He started his career at UM at the safety position but was moved to running back during his sophomore season. It is his natural position, having played it throughout his high school career. With veteran leadership on the offense and plenty of WR speed to stretch the field, Berry should see plenty of holes to run through this season. Most are expecting that Damien becomes the 7th 1,000 yard rusher in school history by season’s end.
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