Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories previewing the Idaho football team. Saturday: special teams.
Benson Mayowa arrived at Idaho as a true freshman looking more like a safety or a wide receiver than a defensive end.
“We’ve got that beautiful weight room and strength coach for a reason,” Idaho coach Robb Akey said.
Mayowa has taken full advantage, upping his weight from 199 pounds when he arrived in 2009 to his current 250 pounds.
Now the Vandals are expecting the junior to show the same kind of growth on the field.
“I want his goal to be to lead the WAC in quarterback sacks,” Akey said. “And with as much as we throw in this league, that ought to give him the opportunity to lead or be one of the top guys in the country. I think he’s got that ability when his motor is running and with the things he can do.”
That’s high praise for someone who has four sacks in his first two seasons. Mayowa played sparingly as a freshman and was a starter last season, sharing time with Andre Ferguson.
Mayowa knows it’s time to step up his production and wants to live up to Akey’s talk. Last month at the WAC Football Preview in Las Vegas, Akey said Mayowa has the chance to be one of the top pass rushers in the conference and be a leader on a defense that has more depth and size than in recent years.
“My goal is to lead the WAC in sacks,” Mayowa said.
If having his coach pump him up isn’t enough motivation, Mayowa also has a chip on his shoulder from what he’s been hearing since the end of last season.
“I’m tired of hearing how I’m going to replace (Aaron) Lavarias,” said Mayowa, referring to the Vandals’ sack leader last season with 10. “I see myself getting better than Lavarias. He had a great motor, and I think I can top that off this year. I see 10 or 11 sacks this year.”
The reason for the optimism is Mayowa’s physical abilities, coupled with his experience. He’ll also benefit from having a defensive tackle (Michael Cosgrove) who likely will draw double teams this season.
“Benson’s got all the ability you are looking for as far as size, speed and strength,” Idaho defensive line coach Eti Ena said. “That size is something he’s been developing since he got here. He’s been putting on weight gradually so it’s the right kind of weight. You still look at him and he looks like a lean body.”
There was no magic formula for the weight gain.
“We get free meals,” he said of Idaho’s training table. “And our strength coach just told me to take a lot of protein. It took a lot of dedication (in the weight room), but I knew what I wanted to be.”
Akey said Mayowa’s burst and ability to come off the edge are what makes the Inglewood, Calif., dangerous.
It’s now time for that potential to be realized.
“He’s got the athletic ability and his instincts have gotten a lot better as he’s grown,” Ena said. “He’s a hard worker with a great work ethic. He studies film. He does all of the things you want a starter to do as far as preparing himself to play each week.”
