Kennesaw State football gets double the impact from Benyard twins
When they were growing up in Ocilla, the Benyard twins didn’t spend much time indoors. They were always playing outside, regardless of the heat, humidity and perpetual presence of gnats that are part of the ambience in a small rural town in Middle Georgia.
And whether they were throwing a football or a baseball, shooting baskets or riding bicycles, Garland and Gabriel Benyard were inseparable.
That’s why it wasn’t surprising that when it came time to choose a college following their all-state careers at Irwin County High School, the Benyards were looking for a package deal. Recruiters knew they needed to take both or keep walking.
“We were trying to plan it out,” said Garland Benyard, the older by a couple of minutes. “We wanted that duo package where we could go to college and be successful at a university. It came down to the point that we knew we wanted to play together, and that’s how we ended up at Kennesaw.”
It wasn’t exactly a hard-sell for colleges to take both brothers. Each was a first-team all-state selection during their junior and senior seasons. Irwin County went 50-6 with two state football championships during their four-year run.
The Kennesaw State coaching staff eagerly signed both, and the program has reaping the benefits for the past five seasons. This season, with both brothers healthy, their contributions have been maximized like never before.
“That’s why you want to coach those guys,” KSU coach Jerry Mack said. “They’re good men. They’re great citizens. They’re going to get a lot from this program, and we’re getting a lot from them as well.”
Gabriel Benyard (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) is now a full-time wide receiver; he had played some running back under the previous regime. In four games he has 18 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns, including a 54-yarder — the school’s longest since 2022 — in Saturday’s win over Arkansas State. He is the only receiver in Conference USA to have two 100-yard receiving games. He also had a 46-yard punt return that set up a touchdown.
“Gabe has been extremely good for us,” Mack said. “We went through the spring trying to figure out what exactly we were going be able to do with him, whether at running back or receiver. We felt he had the most impact at receiver, and it’s worked out for him.”
In 37 career games — he missed all but four games last season with a hamstring injury — he has 69 receptions for 1,124 yards, a 16.3-yard average per catch, and 10 touchdowns. He has rushed for 476 yards and two touchdowns and averaged 14.8 yards on punt returns with one touchdown.
“It wasn’t a hard transition to make,” Gabriel Benyard said. “I just like going against the person in front of me, just making plays and being in the right spot at the right time.”
Garland Benyard (6-1, 225) plays inside linebacker and has recorded 20 total tackles, including six against Arkansas State, and two hurries. He has fully recovered from a cracked heel that required surgery in the spring.
“He didn’t practice this spring because he was nursing the injury, so we got him back in (preseason) camp, and he took to it like a fish to water,” Mack said. “It was everything we had seen on film why we wanted to bring him back, and he’s starting to show more and more each week. He’s starting to put everything together.”
In 43 career games with the Owls, Garland Benyard has 172 tackles, 19½ tackles for loss, seven sacks, four fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.
“It’s really fun, seeing each other live out our childhood dreams,” Garland Benyard said. “Just being competitive, once I see Gabe score a touchdown, it makes me want to go out and get a (tackle for loss) or get a sack. It drives us to get better.”
Their dreams both include trying to play professional football.
Kennesaw State (2-2) will open Conference USA play Saturday when it hosts Middle Tennessee (1-3) at 6 p.m. at Fifth Third Stadium. The game can be seen on ESPN+. Middle Tennessee won last year’s game 14-5 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
