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11 days to Camp Rantoul

12 days to Camp Rantoul

Arrelious Benn Q@A

Each week, Bob Asmussen sits down with an Illini. Today's Q&A: Arrelious Benn

The Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year is healthy and ready to start Year 2. Arrelious Benn figures to get the ball as a receiver, runner and kick and punt returner in tonight’s game against Missouri. One of the many Washington, D.C. transplants on the team, Benn is happy he made the move west.
 
Q: Everybody calls you Rejus. In the paper, we’ve been calling you Arrelious. Is it time for us to make the switch?
A: I like Arrelious. I like Rejus. Anything that floats your boat. Some people have problems pronouncing Arrelious, so they say Rejus.

Q:     Your mom Denise is starting a parents group at Illinois. What do you think about it?
A: I know my mom, she likes to be in stuff. She likes to get stuff going. She cares for other people a lot, and she likes doing stuff for other people. I always tell her, ‘C’mon, you don’t need to do that.’

Q: Was she a tough-love kind of mom?
A:My mom was like having an older sister. We’re really close.

Q:  Who is better with the computer, you or her?
A: Oh, my mom. She specializes in it. She knows everything about a computer.

Q:  Where does your much-praised work ethic come from?
A:I’d say that probably comes from Mom. She raised five boys by herself. She always instilled that hard work in me.

Q: You caught 54 passes in 2007 with one functioning arm. How many would you have caught if healthy?
A: I don’t know, the sky’s the limit. I would have caught more than I did.

Q:  The Heisman Trophy hasn’t recognized many receivers. Why?
A: It seems like the Heisman Trophy is more for quarterbacks and running backs.

Q:  Do you think you can put your name on the short list?
A: I can get there. I have to have some ridiculous stats. For you to get on the Heisman as a receiver, you have to have some abnormal statistics. (Michael) Crabtree numbers, if you throw the ball every down.

Q:  Are they really wearing orange and blue in D.C.?
A: Oh, yeah. D.C. is the new Illinois. Everybody in D.C. knows Illinois, loves Illinois and wants to play for Illinois.

Q:  What page is Illinois coverage falling on in the Post?
A: It’s been on the front of the sports section. They’re treating us right.

Q: Has the Big Ten Network asked you to wear makeup for “The Journey”?
A: No, I don’t need the makeup. Vontae (Davis) probably needs the makeup.

Q:  A Big Ten Network crew is with you at midnight on Saturday. What are they showing?
A: Me in the room chilling, probably playing a video game or with my girlfriend.

Q:  Does Denzel Washington have anything to worry about?
A: I’ve got some acting skills. If I pursued that, I’d probably be the new Denzel.

Q: Have you seen the No. 9 jerseys on campus?
A: It feels like an accomplishment. It shows me that I’ve been working hard, and I need to continue to do that. When I was younger, I remember looking at college football and saying, ‘Man, that’s hard. I can’t do that.’ Now, they’re selling my jerseys. I’m not getting a cut.

Q:  Do you think the D.C. to Illinois pipeline is permanent?
A: It’s not going anywhere. Everybody’s promoting it. One of the big reasons is Coach (Mike) Locksley. He’s a D.C.
native.

Q:  What was your favorite moment during the 2007 season?
A: Playing in the Rose Bowl.


Q:  How about your least favorite moment?
A: Losing to Iowa. I hate Iowa.


Q:  Has there ever been a time when you wondered about why you’re here?
A: I never felt that way. I think I made the right decision. I always want to do something different.
Q:  Are you more popular than Michael Phelps in the greater D.C./Baltimore area?
A: I’d say I’m more popular in the D.C. area, but outside the D.C. area, he wins that. He’s got his eight gold medals.

Q: Can you beat him in the pool?

A:No, but I could beat him
on foot. I’ve got him on land.

Q:  Could the D.C. guys beat the Chicago guys if you played a scrimmage?
A:We’d kill them. D.C., we just have that kind of mentality. We’re all mutants. There’s something unique about every last one of us from the D.C. area.

Q: Who are smarter, D.C. guys or Chicago guys?
A: D.C. guys. We have better common sense than those guys.

Q: Who are tougher, D.C. guys or Chicago guys?
A:D.C. guys are way tougher. The Chicago guys are pretenders.

Q:  Who does better with women, D.C. guys or Chicago guys?
A: D.C., we’ve got the swag. Everybody knows the D.C. guys by the way we walk.

Q:  In a few questions, we’re going to ask you to tell us something people don’t know about you. But first, tell us something people don’t know about one of your teammates other than Vontae Davis.
A: Hubie Graham is from the same place they film “The Office,” Scranton, Pa.

Q:  Who is your dream date?

A: My girlfriend, Chelsea Gordon. She plays basketball.

Q: A night on the town with Chelsea or three touchdown catches and a win against Missouri?
A: Three touchdowns and a win against Missouri. She’ll understand.

Q:  Tell us something new people don’t know about you.
A: I don’t have a lot of patience. For anything. And I’m spoiled. If I want something, I have to have it right now. Material things, anything. I have no patience, and I’m spoiled. That’s normal for a receiver. A receiver’s got to have that attitude.

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