By Mandi Cooks, UTSA Athletics Communications
EDITOR'S NOTE: This feature appears in UTSA's game program for Saturday's contest with Rice. For the complete program, visit www.GoUTSA.com/program.
Question: How does it feel to start your senior year off 6-0?
Watson: It feels phenomenal. It's a great feeling, being a part of history. It's such a surreal feeling and is really humbling.
Benning: Us super seniors that decided to come back with the goal of winning a conference championship and going 6-0 is bringing us one step closer to that goal. You know every week is a blessing and Coach always says that pressure is a privilege. We love the high of the wins but at the same time we have more to lose now than ever. We just have to keep it up and accomplish what we want to get it done.
Question: After playing an away game last weekend, are you ready to be back at home?
Watson: Oh yes. We are ecstatic. We all love playing at home and are hoping to pack the dome as much as possible. Like actually giving the fans and our support groups that has always followed us a reason to come and watch. In the past we really struggled but this year we are hoping to get them just as excited as we are about our wins.
Benning: Yeah, I think it is just making those people--our fans, students, and our support base-- it's about making them proud. Obviously, we are playing the game for our brothers that are with us on the field but at the same time having that student body there that is something we have to earn. To be able to be something that attracts them and to be something that unites the school through sports, I think it's really cool and would be a great honor. Just coming back home after the crazy win, I think the turnout is going to be amazing. And just being able to come out of that tunnel and being able to see people--I think people don't really understand how much of a factor the crowd is.
Question: Leroy, you have already have earned your degree in multidisciplinary studies. What are some of your goals you want to accomplish with your degree after football?
Watson: So, my degree focuses on health, African American Studies and psychology. I want to go more into the mental health aspect of my degree and be some type of life coach or counselor for youth or people that actually need help like I needed help growing up. It's really a focus area for me. Especially the black community where a lot of people do not like seeking for help that much and having someone that they can relate to and actually confide in is a really a big compliment for me. I am currently working towards a master's program in psychology.
Question: Myles, you already have your finance degree. What career paths are you looking forward to after your super senior year?
Benning: I do have a job offer doing consulting but I am still exploring my options. The finance field is so broad and that's what I love about it. You could do so many things and still be able to pick out what you like. So, I am still just searching, I want to maybe go into the banking community but not just commercial banking but investment banking. I also wouldn't mind being a finance advisor but the ultimate goal for me is entrepreneurship. I am currently enrolled in the master's program of finance and trying to get it done within a year.
Question: Over your childhood, who had the biggest impact on making you the men you are today?
Watson: That's a very tough question. But I would probably say my mom. She is the strongest person I have met in my entire life. She has gone through so many trials, tribulations and adversities but she has never blinked. She has always been an angel. She wouldn't hurt a fly in the most literal sense, like she would stop me from stepping on an insect because she says they are all God's children. She is a perfect woman and seeing how much she cares about people in general really forced me to open my heart back up to be emotional and vulnerable with people.
Benning: I would say it is a trifecta of people. There are three major people, one being my mom. She is just always holding me up. And two of my little league coaches that I am still in contact with today. Coach Teo and Coach Burk. I talk to them about everything. They are the ones who help me decide to come back for another year of football. I had a job lined up, but they convinced me to get more schooling and expand my education. Those three people are the most important influencers in my life that have helped mold me into the person I am.
Question: Myles, what are some of your hobbies you do outside of football?
Benning: I love hanging out and doing random stuff. So, I would say my hobbies are going out, hanging out with my people and having a good time. With that entrepreneurship route I am always researching finance in general and different sources of income that people may look at. As I got older, I realized that there is so much information out there. So, I am trying to pick up reading as one of my hobbies. There is just so much that I can educate myself on and I don't want to go through life without knowing. I also like playing video games if I have the time; Call of Duty is my favorite.
Question: Leroy, I know one of your hobbies is playing piano, so tell me the story of why you decided to start playing piano?
Watson: As a kid I was very hyperactive. So, my grandma forced my mom to make me start doing instruments. My mom is a professional singer, so we were always around music in general. It went from playing the drums at two years old to becoming really infatuated with the piano. I probably started around four years old and I have never stopped. I taught myself to play it by ear and then went through different instruments but I just stuck with piano throughout all of it. My favorite thing about the piano is if a normal person looks at the piano, they probably wouldn't know what to do. But you can make something completely beautiful out of it by accident. There are no mistakes on the piano. Even if it was by accident, it still is the perfect key for me. The piano is like the ultimate thing that leads to imagination and improvisation, and I love it.
Question: If you could give advice to high school players that are looking to play division one football, what would you tell them?
Watson: Once you're able to get to the level you want, remember that it is a game. Don't lose yourself in it. A lot of people get sucked up into the fact of being a Division I athlete and they really lose themselves in that process that they forget that one it is a business. Remember to actually have fun. There have been countless times where I have been depressed over one mistake that I made early in practice that ruined my whole day. Don't let these small things build up upon itself. Just keep grinding and keep your head up. It's fine and one day it will pay off. Whether it's how you think it's going to come out, or how God plans for it to come out. It will work out eventually. You know UTSA is my home. I never would have thought I would have come here but it worked out perfectly. If you really give yourself to the game but remember that it is a game--it will take care of you for life.
Benning: In reality and at the end of the day, you are never going to be fully prepared for all of this. You just have to learn stuff as you go but I think the biggest thing is just working hard to get people's attention on the field in high school. You just have to keep trying and keep dreaming, and when things aren't going your way, you have to fight through that. I think a big thing is that now, you have to learn how to work through adversity. Because once you reach your goal of playing college sports and going from being the star player as a high school student to being on the sidelines your freshman year, you probably won't get as much love as you were expecting. That is the biggest hurdle for kids nowadays, is battling through the adversity of not playing early on in their freshman year and learning how to be selfless to your other teammates.
Question: Leroy, you are one of the leadership council reps with the tight ends--what does it mean to you to be designated this role?
Watson: It means everything to me. Knowing that my group has faith in me to lead them and know that I actually care about each one of them individually. That we can trust each other enough not to be egotistical or too proud to take criticism. There are a lot of times where if I don't know something I will look up to Myles and if he doesn't know something he will look over to me, or we will look to our other peers. It's really just a perfect group effort. It was a really big honor to be voted this role, especially for two years in a row. So, Coach Jeff Traylor always tells us to be a thermostat instead of a thermometer. Being able to change the temperature in the room. If the guys are down or if we aren't making any plays--I try to motivate them or help coach them out on the field to change that temperature. I play with passion every single day. And forcing my guys to really be into the game and on time so we are always locked in. Even when we are having fun and playing around; I dance 24/7 but if you ask me what a play is I can explain everything to you. Being a big student of the game and caring about the guys on the field is how I try to lead.
Question: Myles, you also have a leadership role with the special teams--how does this role impact you?
Benning: It is always an honor to be selected by your peers. I accepted being a part of the special teams and being able to lead in those important moments. It means a lot to me to be that person that people can come to when they have a question. I pride myself on knowing what is happening in each unit just in case someone has a question, they know they can ask me. It's just an honor, and I am grateful to be in this position. I try to lead by integrity, telling the truth and keeping everything black and white--it makes things so much simpler. There is no need to sugar-coat it, but people aren't always going to like what you have to say but you can't be afraid as a leader to be able to tell people what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear. My leadership style is serving people first and being able to be that example that people look up to. I want to lead by example, and I think people respect that more than anything.
Question: Since it is Halloween season, if you could pick a favorite villain from Marvel or DC, who would it be?
Watson: For DC, it's definitely the Joker. Marvel, you got to go with Kang the Conqueror.
Benning: Just based off the movies, I am going with Thanos. It's not even close, he just snapped his fingers. The heroes shouldn't even have won. He is one of the most powerful villains for sure. But DC wise, just out of respect, I'm going to say my boy the Joker.
