Behind the Facemask: Travis Benjamin
Aug. 2, 2011
CORAL GABLES, Fla.–They are stories of perseverance. Stories about growing up, becoming men and being a part of a family. One-by-one, we hear from them. These are the Miami Hurricanes…
Travis Benjamin | Wide Receiver | Senior | Belle Glade, Fla.
My favorite song right now is “600 Benz” by Meek Millz and Rick Ross.
When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be Deion Sanders. Deion was the top guy when I was growing up. Everyone wanted to be him. I never did the dance though. He would run the ball with one hand, so that’s what we did.
At the U, I’ve learned so much from Sean Spence. He’s taught me about motivation, about not giving up. He’s a hard worker.
People might be surprised to know that I’m shy. I’m real shy.
The most influential person in my life is my mom. Knowing my background and where I came from, I talk to her every day, she always checks up on me.
When I was six years old, I first started playing football. I played for a pop warner league and I played quarterback.
Other than football, I’m talented at track and field.
Playing football has helped me become a better man. It builds up toughness, and the skills to be intelligent, to know the ins and outs of life, and what you’ve got to put in to get out and become better.
My favorite receiver is Santana Moss. I talk to him on and off.
I was raised in the countryside, in Belle Glade. I was 30 or 45 minutes away from the nearest supermarket.
I’m afraid of snakes. I had a friend who had a snake and I had to babysit it for three days. It escaped out of the cage in my house. My house was so cold; we had to put clues together to find out where the snake might be. It was near the generator behind the refrigerator. It took a couple hours to find it (laughs).
If I could spend a day with anyone, it would be anybody who looks up to me. I want to inspire them and teach them how to live coming up in life.
My best advice is to never give up on your dreams. There will always be stop signs and roadblocks, but you can always get over them.
I never thought I would be fast. Growing up, I was slower until I got to 10th or 11th grade. I started running track. When you play receiver at Belle Glade, you have to run track. They won’t let you play unless you do. I noticed the change when my friend Deonte Thompson, who plays for Florida, raced against me one time and he was always real fast. When we finished the race, it was pretty close. That’s how I knew I was getting faster.
The hardest part of being a receiver is focusing. You have to do everything at once and everything has to be on point. If you have a good defensive back, he can jump your route at anytime. You have to focus on every route.
Running a good route is like a thinking process. As long as you know that you have your man beat so far, the last thing you you have to do is just look the ball in. You don’t have to worry about anyone around you, so you concentrate on looking it in and getting to the end zone.
Coach McDonald is tough. He’s a character. He’s a hard worker.
My favorite midnight snack is Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
I’m a Hurricane because of dedication and hard work. It was always my dream to come here. I had a cousin, Alfonso Marshall, who came here, so I always saw Miami wherever I went with my family. I always wanted to come here. As soon as I got offered, I committed a month or two later.
Make sure to check in for a new Behind the Facemask profile each and everyday in preparation for the Hurricane football season opener. For a review of all past profiles, check out Behind the Facemask Central.
