Benzant makes the grade
Woonsocket’s Benzant makes Division I football dream come true by working hard in classroom
City native ready to play football at
Toledo
“Going to CCRI, I made a promise to myself that I would focus on school and block out all other activities … go hard to get where I wanted to be.”
— Angel Benzant
WOONSOCKET — One wasn’t going to happen without the other.
In Angel Benzant’s case, standing on the platform as college football’s train zoomed past him would remain in play if he didn’t take a more serious approach to his studies.
Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 290 pounds, Benzant can line up at any spot along the offensive line. His natural position is left guard, yet he showed off his versatility during the stretch run of Woonsocket High’s second straight Division II Super Bowl crown in 2019. Earning multiple All-State and All-Division honors enhanced a recruiting portfolio that held the potential of unlocking any door of his choosing.
Landing on the University of Toledo’s radar was a major coup for an individual with a burning desire to continue playing the game he loved upon graduating from high school. What appeared to be within Benzant’s grasp pivoted to a somber tone. Toledo never extended a scholarship offer due to middling high school grades.
“They weren’t that good,” said Benzant, reflecting on a January 2020 conversation that brought his vision to play football in college to a screeching halt.
“It was like a punch in the face, but it was on me,” added the 18-year-old. “I should have done what I had to do in the classroom in the first place.”
Upon hitting rock bottom academically, Benzant embarked on a path that led him back to Toledo’s doorstep. For the first time since his freshman year at Woonsocket, he hit the books with the same ferocity and determination that was on display every time a defensive player came charging his way.
Late last month, Benzant reaped multiple rewards for his due diligence as a newfound scholar. The chain reaction started upon learning his acceptance by Toledo admissions and continued upon officially joining the school’s football team as a preferred walk-on. The Rockets are a Division I FBS program out of the Mid-American Conference.
“I’m very proud,” said Benzant with a smile this past Friday afternoon while sitting on a bench located in the Barry Field complex.
A strong sense of accomplishment should wash over him. Plenty of young people in Benzant’s position would have thrown in the towel upon being told their grades weren’t up to par. Now? You won’t find his name on the list of academic casualties because of the great lengths he went to in securing a place within the Toledo football family.
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A 2020 graduate of Woonsocket High School, Benzant freely admitted that he did enough to get by to maintain eligibility.
“Once the season ended, I would just start slacking. That’s what hurt me in the long run,” he said.
Toledo told Benzant his core GPA was low. They couldn’t take him because of academics. A stiff price had been paid by someone who checked off the box marked “football ability” but not the one for “good grades.”
“It was tough to hear … can’t go to school to play football,” said Benzant.
Instead of letting the setback serve as the impetus to drift further away, Benzant enrolled at CCRI for the fall 2020 semester. What should have been a top priority all along was now a priority of the highest order.
“Going to CCRI, I made a promise to myself
that I would focus on school and block out all other activities … go hard to get where I wanted to be,” said Benzant.
Benzant remained in regular contact with a Toledo guidance counselor throughout his comeback on the academic trail. Conversations that ranged from as few as two to as many as three per month helped Benzant keep his eyes firmly on the prize.
“We talked about what I would have to do to get accepted,” he said.
Enrolling in four classes that all met virtually, Benzant concluded the semester with two A’s and two B-pluses. Naturally, he couldn’t wait to send his transcript to Toledo.
“It was really tough. I’m more of an in-person learner. I like being in class,” said Benzant, “but I was happy because I knew I
was going to get in.”
It proved to be a valuable lesson with a happy ending – realizing the importance of doing well in the classroom and how it correlates with the privilege of suiting up on game day.
“Good for Angel for sticking with it,” said Woonsocket head coach Charlie Bibeault. “I’m pumped for him. Even more so because he did it on his own.”
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Sometime in April, Benzant will head to Toledo for an in-person look at a campus that come June will officially become his second home.
“It’s not that far away … a two-hour plane ride,” he said.
A strict schedule awaits upon entering the Rockets’ fold. Wake up at 6:30 in the morning. Go to the weight room. Watch film. Head to class, then study hall. For Benzant, his 2021 redshirt season will be one massive learning experience.
“It’s all going to be good,” said Benzant. “You’re going to build and get better and better.”
Toledo was drawn to Benzant because of his ability to be plugged in anywhere along the O-line. Officially, the former Novan was recruited as a guard/center.
“They like my form and strength,” said
Benzant, noting the credit in that department goes to Woonsocket assistant coach Eddy Ouellette.
As a walk-on, Benzant is responsible for footing the tuition bill. His parents Iris and Angel Sr. plan on helping him out for the 2021-22 academic year.
“Hopefully I can get a scholarship out there,” he said. “There’s nothing better than free college.”
The idea of mentioning Benzant within the context of college football circles once seemed so remote. He was tripped up but refused to remain on the ground. By meeting the necessary obligations, Benzant can look forward to bright lights and big cheers.
Officially, he’s a shining example of turning things around after a self-made infliction prevented him from attending Toledo this past fall. At the Ohio-based school, Benzant plans to major in sports management.
“I want a degree,” said Benzant, his voice full of resolve when asked to offer advice to those who may find themselves in the unenviable position that resulted in major rectification on his part
“As hard as it gets, never stop pushing,” he said. “You have to give 100 percent every day or you’re not going to be able to do what you want to do.”