2021 BIG SOUTH DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR (COACHES): Garland Benyard, DB, Kennesaw State,...Benyard moved into the starting lineup the last five games of the season, and recorded 21 of his 29 tackles in that span for the Big South's top-ranked defense. He had a career-high nine stops vs. Gardner-Webb (five solo), along with a tackle-for-loss. Benyard was the Big South Freshman of the Week on Oct. 18 after he recorded five total stops (three solo) and a pass break-up in Kennesaw State's shutout victory over North Carolina A&T, in which he also blocked a punt.Against Campbell in Week 8, he notched his first career sack, had five total tackles and a pass break-up. Benyard recorded three stops and a TFL in a win over Robert Morris. He finished the regular-season with 29 tackles (15 solo), 3.0 tackles-for-loss, one sack, two pass break-ups and one quarterback hurry. Benyard earned 37 points and seven first-place votes in the balloting, ahead of Campbell linebacker CJ Tillman (21 points and four first-place votes) and North Carolina A&T defensive lineman Henry Daniels (17 points and one first-place vote). - Big South Football