If this upcoming season is anything for LaVonta Bentley, it’s personal.
That’s a word that the redshirt junior linebacker made sure to not only emphasize but repeat, as he met with reporters following Tuesday’s practice.
“It’s just a drive like it’s personal,” Bentley said regarding his strong start to fall camp. “This year’s personal, not just because of the players I had in front of me last year, just for myself. I feel like I’m the oldest in the room, so I gotta be the leader and step up for the young guys and just be there for them.”
In order to become a well-rounded player, Bentley has focused on some of the finer details, even taking up yoga this summer. He knows that there aren’t many linebackers at the collegiate level that are doing what he does to get better, which also involves working on his pass-rush skills — something he doesn’t do often — with Kevin Swint and Tyler Davis.
“Just the little things make a big difference,” he added.
Bentley is one of the hardest working players on Clemson’s roster and a lot of that comes from his drive. Bentley is self-driven by his why, which is being able to help his mother out, but also being that male figure in the household that his nieces and nephews can look up to.
His goal is to make it to the league and follow in the footsteps of Quinnen and Quincy Williams of the New York Jets, who both also hail from Betley’s hometown of Birmingham (Ala.).
While he’s motivated by his why and his aspirations of playing at the next level, there’s also a sense of urgency.
With James Skalski and Baylon Spector graduating to the NFL, the torch has officially been passed down to Bentley and Keith Maguire. There’s an expectation that they’ll need to meet to keep the standard that those two set at the linebacker position and as Bentley said, “keep the flame lit.”
It’s not just about replacing their production, but also the level of football knowledge that both Skalski and Spector had was like having two extra coaches on the field.
Bentley doesn’t expect that to change in their absence.
“I feel (the knowledge) has been passed on,” Bentley said. “So, some of the things that they were doing, the characteristics, have just been passed down to us. We’re doing the same thing that they were doing to us. Bringing the young guys in, going over the little details…and the reason why they doing what they doing.”
Bentley has embraced his role as a leader. He’s not focused so much on how the competition is going, but more so on how the group is coming together as a whole. He’s ready for his opportunity and maintains that it doesn’t matter who runs out there first or second, as long as everyone knows what they’re doing once they go out there.
