Catching Up with the Newest Spartan from the Lone Star State OL Caleb Benenoch

When 6’5” 321# Caleb Benenoch moved from his native Logos, Nigeria at eight years old, who would have known the journey his life would take. This mammoth

When 6’5” 321# Caleb Benenoch moved from his native Logos, Nigeria at eight years old, who would have known the journey his life would take. This mammoth young man now resides in Katy Texas, but in March he pledged his talents to the Spartan Nation and Mark Dantonio.

We caught up with him on Spartan Nation Radio as this young man talked about the process of picking Michigan State and what his mindset is now. He told us about the first conversation he had with MSU OL Coach Mark Staten. “He asked me who my hero was…he told me that his was Jesus Christ. It was huge. Talking to Coach Dantonio he told me that he was a believer and that he wasn’t going to hide it and he showed it to me. That was very important to me.”

Benenoch’s mother and father are both ministers.  His brother plays football at Baylor; he has a sister who is a three-sport athlete and another that studies medicine. He talked about the impact on his life of his close-knit family. “My dad won’t let me play football if my grades fall below a B,” which is the reason Benenoch not only is highly successful on the football field, but also on the classroom.

For Benenoch the attaining of a degree is a major life goal. The future lawyer talked about Michigan State and their commitment to academics and how that played into his decision to choose the Spartans.

“That was a huge part. I went online and looked at how Michigan State is rated academically. They are rated higher then Baylor. I want to be a lawyer and that was a big deal to me.” He went on to shed some more light on the process. With education being so important to the Benenoch family, his parents had a strong affinity for Stanford. “My dad is a huge Stanford man, and my mom, but I fell in love with Michigan State and that comes first.”

Benenoch plays football, but it isn’t everything to him. Life is bigger then the game and this youngster put it in the right perspective. “Football is a means to an end. It is not a meal ticket.  Football comes to an end.”

Logos is not known as a football factory and watching Benenoch it is clear he loves the game of football. When did that love affair start? “Since I picked it up I can’t stop. It has taken me places and taught me discipline. It’s taken me places I would have never gone.”

When you are a star player the recruiting process can get tiring and Benenoch addressed that. He said, “It is bothersome worrying about it all the time. It was a huge weight off my shoulders (Committing to MSU) and I can now just focus on being a better football player. I can’t wait to get up there.”

Benenoch is waiting to get to East Lansing. He is already recruiting other players to join him. “I hit up a big tackle, Riley Norman on Facebook and I told him he should come join me at Michigan State. Me and him could be something special.” I agree.

Benenoch is a rare football player. He has all of the size to be the infamous left tackle, but unlike most young men that big he also has the amazing agility and athleticism to play on the interior. He has said that his desire is to play, “Inside,” and the Spartan coaches intend on letting him play at the position he chooses.

Again Mark Dantonio adds a quality young man with a great work ethic& character added to being incredibly blessed with God given talent. The people at his school rave about his humility. Being a prized recruit and star in the football crazy Lone Stat state can place a lot of pressure on a young man. “I just try to reach out to as many people as I can. You can’t put yourself on a pedestal.” He gets it.

It is young men just like Benenoch that Dantonio has recruited to turn Spartan football around. Super football player and a better kid. Welcome to the Spartan Nation Caleb!