One of the best quarterbacks in Plant City High’s history hasn’t stopped tearing it up on the gridiron.
Bennie Coney, coming off of an excellent 2015 campaign at Eastern Kentucky University, can’t wait for the fall. Knowing that 2016 will be his final year of eligibility as an undergraduate student — he redshirted his 2012 freshman season — Coney is determined to lead the Colonels to greater success.
RISING STAR
Coney, a three-star recruit out of high school, initially started his collegiate career at the University of Cincinnati.
He appeared in three games for the Bearcats in 2013. After some coaching changes, he transferred to EKU in 2014, one year before Cincy assistant Mark Elder, who had recruited Coney to the Bearcats out of high school, accepted the Colonels’ vacant head coaching position.
“Normally, new coaches want their recruits,” Coney said. “I felt like I was young enough, had enough eligibility. I decided that it was time to change scenery.”
[[{“fid”:”158693″,”view_mode”:”small_crop”,”fields”:{“format”:”small_crop”,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”field_file_image_caption_text[und][0][value]”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”field_file_image_for_sale_url[und][0][value]”:””,”field_image_type[und]”:”_none”},”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“1”:{“format”:”small_crop”,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”field_file_image_caption_text[und][0][value]”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”field_file_image_for_sale_url[und][0][value]”:””,”field_image_type[und]”:”_none”}},”attributes”:{“alt”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”title”:”Courtesy of EKUSports Communications”,”style”:”font-family: “Minion W08 Dsp Regular”, “Palatino Linotype”, “Book Antiqua”, Palatino, serif; line-height: 33px; float: left;”,”class”:”media-element file-small-crop”,”data-delta”:”1″}}]]
Coney played in all 13 games in 2014, including eight starts, and led the team with 1,185 passing yards and seven touchdowns. Getting this opportunity, and getting to play for Elder and his staff again, made him comfortable.
“I felt comfortable ever since they walked in,” Coney said. “It was just like seeing old family. I never thought I’d see those guys again but, when they walked through the door I was like, ‘Wow. I’m thankful.’”
Last season, Coney more than doubled his production. In 11 games, he threw for 2,471 yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging about 225 yards per game, and ran for 193 yards and two more touchdowns.
He twice tied the school record for touchdown passes in a game, throwing five against both Tennessee Tech and Tennessee-Martin, and set a school record with 417 passing yards against Murray State.
He got on a hot streak of 144 passes thrown without an interception, and his 222 total completions set a school record. His combined, two-year total of 3,656 passing yards puts him at No. 7 on the school’s list of all-time passing leaders.
For his efforts, Coney racked up three conference Offensive Player of the Week awards and an all-star nod from Sporting News.
Last season, Coney had a big moment off the field: he became a father in October to a happy, healthy baby girl.
“She’e getting big, about 13 pounds now,” Coney said. “A lot of things have changed since high school but, to me, that’s the biggest change.”
LOOKING FORWARD
After his time as a Colonel is up, Coney hopes to return to Plant City. One of his biggest motivations is the chance to coach his youngest brother, Givonni Miller, a running back and cornerback for the Turkey Creek Trojans.
“I think he’ll be better than me and, when he gets to high school, hopefully I’ll get to come watch him play and coach him up,” Coney said.
Having started training camp Wednesday, July 6, Coney is working hard to get ready for his final season. This year, there’s one thing he’ll have to work around.
Coney will have to compete for his starting job against former Mizzou starter Maty Mauk. Both men are in their final year of eligibility, as Mauk signed on as a graduate-student transfer following his January dismissal from the Tigers’ program.
“I work real hard and make sure that, everything I do, I try to be the best at,” Coney said. “I don’t want to be cocky, but I’m confident and I know what I’m capable of. I think I’m confident enough to win the job and keep the job. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep the keys to the car, man.”
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
RAIDER DAYS
PCHS career stats:
28 games played
5,133 passing yards
60% completion rate
57 touchdowns
953 rushing yards
14 rushing touchdowns