By Dennis Switzer, Benedict Sports Information,
COLUMBIA, S.C. – One national preseason football publication is ranking the Benedict Tigers 18th in their preseason Division II poll, while selecting defensive lineman Loobert Denelus as a preseason All-American.
Lindy’s Sports’ annual college football national preview magazine recently hit the newsstands across the country. Lindy’s Sports, which is billed as the nation’s leading football authority, highlighted the top 25 teams in the country based on expert opinions and also featured a preseason All-America team.
In the comment about Benedict, Lindy’s says: “Loobert Denelus, Jayden Broughton bring sack power to opposing backfields.”
Denelus, the reigning SIAC Defensive Player of the Year and AFCA All-American, ranked fifth in Division II in sacks with 14 in 12 games for an average of 1.17 per game. Broughton, a first-team All-SIAC selection, added six sacks.
Benedict finished ranked 12th in the final poll by the American Football Coaches Association. Benedict went undefeated in winning the 2022 SIAC Championship, before falling to Wingate in the second round of the NCAA playoffs. Wingate was ranked 25th in the Lindy’s preseason poll.
Benedict returns many key players from last year’s 11-1 squad, including the bulk of the defense that ranked seventh nationally in total defense and third in passing yards allowed. Along with Denelus and Broughton, the Tigers will return key defensive players Joshua Heyward, Ja’ron Kilpatrick and linebacker Dedrick Starkes. On offense, the Tigers return leading receiver Reginald Harden and their dangerous running back tandem of Noah Zaire Scotland and Deondra Duehart.
Ferris State, the two-time defending Division II champions, is the preseason No. 1 team.
