Does KirVonte Benson

Boomergump

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
3,281
have a similar skill set to Marcus Marshall? From one short viewing it sure looks to me like they are similar players toting the rock. For me, it kind of eases my brain a little because it was nice having that change of pace at the BB position, specifically one that can run away from defenders and take it to the house. Hopefully, KB will take to all aspects of the position, like blocking and ball security, very quickly and we can use him for 30% or so of the snaps.

What do you guys think? He looked pretty darned quick to me.
 

SidewalkJacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,665
Looked pretty good from what I saw. MM was special in the open field. KB may have the same speed on the clock, but some guys just have "it" when toting the ball past the second level. I think it's safe to say KB will hit the hold harder and maybe get the tough yards just as well or better. What remains to be seen is if he can catch a pass in the flat and accelerate past everyone on the field.
 

danny daniel

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,613
Looked pretty good from what I saw. MM was special in the open field. KB may have the same speed on the clock, but some guys just have "it" when toting the ball past the second level. I think it's safe to say KB will hit the hold harder and maybe get the tough yards just as well or better. What remains to be seen is if he can catch a pass in the flat and accelerate past everyone on the field.

KB was used a lot as a receiver in HS. He can catch and run. Blocking maybe TBD. He looks good at BB but needs to learn not to run backward when the play blows up. He has a really good knack for starting in a hole and side stepping laterally a hole over for daylight. IMO he will be strongest on the counters and traps. I like QW on the hard hitters straight ahead. BB backups will be OK.
 

nod

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
711
Very limited opinion, I think KirVonte Benson seems to have Marcus Marshall's vision for hole, burst, not the level to cut /side step Marshall had, also has power leg drive like D Mills, but not at Mill's level in desire to bring pounding to tackler. I see him as mix between Marshall and Mills.
 

Deleted member 2897

Guest
Also, I don't think Benson started playing football at all until just a couple years ago. That tells me his development could still see many more step ups still yet. I think it was one of the reasons he was rated a 2 Star. Jalen Camp, Clinton Lynch...we sure do have a great history with that rating!
 

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,220
Also, I don't think Benson started playing football at all until just a couple years ago. That tells me his development could still see many more step ups still yet. I think it was one of the reasons he was rated a 2 Star. Jalen Camp, Clinton Lynch...we sure do have a great history with that rating!
It's a little early to use Jalen as evidence at this point.
 

bke1984

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,447
Similar from the home run threat maybe, but it's tough to say. MM was incredible at making a single cut after he hit the hole and just taking off. Dwyer was incredible at that too. You could tell MM was great at this from watching his high school film....I don't remember being quite as impressed with KB's HS film as MM's...but then again, it's just high school film. Won't know for sure until we see him play. I think we'll see him a little bit in the Tennessee game, but a lot more in week 2.
 

takethepoints

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,096
I think Benson is going to do fine. It is his misfortune to be on the same team with Mills. Barring injury (absit omen), nobody is going to beat him out for the position. Same for Quaid, who, before he was hurt, was in line to co-start with Leggett (ah, what could have been). After Mills leaves, I think it'll turn on the OL. If they can't block well, it's Quaid. If they can, Benson.

I think he hits a hole faster and with more authority then MM did, though he isn't anywhere near as cute. As I always said when MM was at Tech, he should have moved to AB. Think of what that would be like with the year coming up: Lynch and MM. Yikes.
 

OldJacketFan

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,348
Location
Nashville, TN
Similar from the home run threat maybe, but it's tough to say. MM was incredible at making a single cut after he hit the hole and just taking off. Dwyer was incredible at that too. You could tell MM was great at this from watching his high school film....I don't remember being quite as impressed with KB's HS film as MM's...but then again, it's just high school film. Won't know for sure until we see him play. I think we'll see him a little bit in the Tennessee game, but a lot more in week 2.

KB played behind a poor O line in HS. Most of the yards he gained were after 1st contact.
 

tech_wreck47

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,670
MM had the ability to make a cut at full speed, idk if Benson can do that (didn't get a good enough look at him running full speed, his one long run he was having to make cut after cut withought getting to top speed) if he can do this though, imo he will be able to hit the home runs like MM.
 

awbuzz

Helluva Manager
Staff member
Messages
12,104
Location
Marietta, GA
I know that conditioning will not be an issue. He will be working on "track" speed during the off season and on directional changes.

Expect to see him even more focused come August practices regarding blocking too.
 

Jacketman1

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
601
Also, I don't think Benson started playing football at all until just a couple years ago. That tells me his development could still see many more step ups still yet. I think it was one of the reasons he was rated a 2 Star. Jalen Camp, Clinton Lynch...we sure do have a great history with that rating!
PJ Davis and Corey Griffin as well!
 

stech81

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,901
Location
Woodstock Georgia
In order to get more playing time with CPJ it will come down to two things Blocking and holding on to the ball.

And I guess I saw something different about MM, he was good but most the season he look slow going to the line. ( IMO) too many rushes for 2 or less yards , had great speed if he had a hole. But his run against uga was a great run.
 
Last edited:

Sideways

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,589
KirVonte Benson has a faster official 100m time than Justin Thomas and is a former State Champion in that event.
Now that is impressive. He is indeed, as one poster said, "a poor man's Dwyer" We may never in our lifetimes witness a complete reincarnation of the Great One, Dwyer but Kirvonte will be a great one in his own right with continued hard work and learning the nuances of blocking, the mesh, etc.
 

lv20gt

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,581
And I guess I saw something different about MM, he was good but most the season he look slow going to the line. ( IMO) too many rushes for 2 or less yards , had great speed if he had a hole. But his run against uga was a great run.

Then I assume you had the same impression of Mills, if you're going by 2 or fewer yard carries.

Anyways, Benson has promise but I'd wait until he does it in games to compare him to someone who averaged 7 ypc on nearly 200 carries over his career here.
 
Top