Chico Bennett Jr. has experienced adversity in every year of his college football career. He led all Georgia Tech freshmen in tackles before an injury ended his 2019 season. The pandemic disrupted the 2020 season for everyone and Bennett tore his ACL in spring practice after a transfer to Virginia and missed the 2021 season.
None of that really compares to 2022, though.
Last November, the Cavaliers’ season ended early when a tragic shooting took the lives of Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler, and D’Sean Perry and wounded two others including running back Mike Hollins. Davis and Bennett were particularly close after spending that 2021 season rehabbing ACL injuries together. Bennett shared heart-felt memories of Davis during the UVA memorial service for the players.
When it came time for a decision to return for a fifth season of college football at Virginia, Bennett called it a no-brainer despite all the adversity in his journey.
“I certainly would say the tragedy of what happened was definitely a big deciding factor because it would have been easy to just leave, but for me it was just … it was a no-brainer to come back, man,” Bennett said at the ACC Football Kickoff. “One, something like that, nobody should have to go through, but of course, we did. I think it was opportunity to build off that and take it as Coach Elliott likes to say, turn tragedy into triumph. We truly embodied that just as a team and just in our individual lives, especially as we grieve alone and we grieve together as a unit, man, I think … it’s definitely important for me to come back.”
UVA welcomed that decision. Cavalier coach Tony Elliott said that Bennett is a leader in the locker room. He graduated in the spring and has volunteered at local schools.
When Elliott references the effort to build a model program, Bennett is the type of player that fits that mold.
“He’s an extremely intelligent young man,” Elliott said on the ACC Network. “He has a great spirit about himself. … He’s a tremendous leader, he’s an unbelievable human being, and a great representative of our program and our institution.”
Of course, Virginia also appreciates the production that Bennett brings back to the defense.
Last season, Bennett posted 34 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. He also had 7 sacks to lead the defense while starting the final 9 games at the Bandit position, a hybrid defensive end-linebacker spot for defensive coordinator John Rudzinski’s scheme. Bennett earned a spot on the All-ACC Honorable Mention list and two ACC Defensive Lineman Of The Week awards.
Part of what makes Bennett successful: his spin move. It contributed to him being a successful pass rusher last season and it’s something useful for edge rushers in the hybrid Bandit role. NFLDraftBuzz.com noted in its scouting report strengths, that Bennett’s spin move is “already NFL caliber” and noted that it is “lethal.”
Bennett downplayed it a bit at the ACC Kickoff where he credited Coach Rudzinski for putting the players in good spots to succeed and his position coach Chris Slade for helping players not think too much. Slade remains the career and single season leader at Virginia with 40 sacks overall and 15 in 1992 (tied with Patrick Kerney in 1998 for the program record).
“It’s more so of a feeling. As my position coach, Coach Slade says, when you are going, don’t try to overthink it. Don’t be a robot,” Bennett said. “When you get comfortable, one, you get comfortable with the plays. You’re able to rush freely obviously, but of course, within the confines of the defense. Again, yeah, it’s just a feel for it. Everything will come natural, especially when you don’t have to think. You can just play free. It allows for moments like that.”
After breakthrough plays with that spin move and a breakthrough season of sorts last fall, Bennett won’t be far down any opponents’ scouting reports this season. Phil Steele put him on the Preseason All-ACC Second Team and Athlon Sports placed him on the third team. He’s also on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list.
Virginia certainly hopes that Bennett will be a key part of the defense even if teams are prepared for him. Bennett’s 7 sacks last season were comparable to any Cavalier leader in recent years despite the 10-game schedule. Jordan Mack (2019), Chris Peace (2017, 2018), and Micah Kiser (2015) each had 7.5 sacks to lead the team in respective seasons. You have to go back to 2014 for a higher number when Max Valles tallied 9 sacks. Bennett finished just 2.5 sacks behind ACC leader Yasir Abdullah, who had 9.5 in 2022 at Louisville.
“At one point he was leading the ACC in sacks, probably could’ve finished the year there if he could have made a couple of more,” Elliott said on the ACC Network. “He’s a team leader for us, a great ambassador for the University of Virginia. He’s one of the guys that’s not going to sneak up on anybody in our league – we’ve got some other guys that kind of are under the radar.”
