Rayshaun Benny felt 'like a big kid' being back on the field playing for Michigan

Trent Knoop | Sep 4, 2024

Michigan defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny (26) tackles Ohio State running back Chip Trayanum during the first half at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 26, 2022. Michohio 112622 Kd 3578 / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

It wasn't an easy time for defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny when he had to leave the Alabama game on Jan. 1 due to a broken fibula. Benny knew he was going to miss extended time playing and practicing with his teammates, but most of all -- he couldn't play in the National Championship Game against Washington.

“Yeah, that was probably the biggest thing, the hardest part,” Benny said about missing the Washington game. “But the guys, we won, so that made it a lot better, to be honest.”

It was a long winter for the Michigan native. Heading into his senior year at Michigan, Benny spent all offseason rehabbing his injury. Not being able to be with his comrades on the field, Benny noted that he felt very much alone. But thanks to his teammates, Benny was able to keep on going.

“Not that I was alone; I just felt alone,” Benny said. “It was just different for me. It was a different type of serious injury.

“It was hard. It was hard, to be honest. But my teammates made it better for me, just keeping me positive, keeping me around, letting me know that I’m not alone. Guys always just check on me. That’s something you don’t have to do, so it just meant more when they randomly asked me, ‘Hey, how you doing?’”

Once Benny got back onto the practice field, he kept feeling better and better. But Michigan had to slow Benny down in his practice regime after healing up. The Detroit native kept wanting to go and go, but both Sherrone Moore and Lou Esposito had to pump the brakes on him. Benny admitted it was upsetting that he wasn't able to do what he wanted to do when fall camp began, but he knew it was in his best interest to play in the season opener.

“I’d get mad at coach [Sherrone] Moore and coach [Lou] Esposito when they wouldn’t play me enough; when I felt like I wanted to keep going, when I felt great,” Benny said. "It was just all to protect me.”

But once Saturday came, Benny showed why he not only stuck around Ann Arbor, but was a major target for the Wolverines four years ago. Benny was ferocious for the Wolverines' defense racking up five tackles, two TFLs, and one sacks in a 30-10 win over Fresno State. Benny told reporters how happy he was to be back on the field.

“It felt great, just to be back out there and just to move around,” Benny said. “I felt like a kid again, almost, like a big kid. I was so happy.

“But the most happy people were my teammates, for real. I don’t know if you saw on the sack, J-Stew [Josaiah Stewart ] ran up on me. I didn’t even know where he came from. I looked at the film — he ran all the way from the other sideline to hype me up. So that was good.”

You can see Benny and Michigan back in action on Saturday against Texas.

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