Kornacki: Mason Brings Menace to Whatever Position He Plays
9/19/2019 10:44:00 AM | Football, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Ben Mason brings a unique blend of power, speed and fury onto the football field. The kid who went as the "Headless Horseman" on Halloween while in elementary school grew into one scary football talent.
That he can play defensive tackle, sprint down the field on the kickoff team to wreak havoc and score touchdowns by sometimes moving the wall in front of him with those strong, churning legs is something to behold.
Something special.
This is no ordinary cat. No, sir. He's so versatile that -- truth be told -- five position coaches at the University of Michigan would love having him.
But there is one thing Mason brings wherever he lines up: intimidation. He's the player nobody wants tackling them, nobody wants blocking him, nobody wants to try to tackle without help. He is 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds with the powerful build of a workout workaholic, and sports a faux-hawk and a Fu Manchu.
He also has piercing eyes that opponents feel as surely as his hits.
Mason's favorite player while growing up was Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, whom the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiedener wrote should have his highlight reel on Animal Planet, and described one particular hit as "a ferocious lion preying on a zebra."
"Brian Urlacher had this look when he would look at quarterbacks," Mason said with a smile. "He was menacing. I just really liked the way he approached the game."
Mason had an Animal Planet play on a kickoff against Penn State last year. He came down the middle of the field, threw aside not one, but two, blockers as if they were rag dolls, and engulfed the ball carrier before smothering him and taking him down.
"Kickoffs just bring a lot of energy to the guys on that unit," Mason said. "We love running down the field and love when they run it out. That doesn't happen as much these days, but every chance we get to tackle a returner, we love that, taking on a block.
"It's a lot of fun being on the kickoff unit with so many different guys. You've got guys from offense and defense, freshmen through seniors, and everyone is running down with one goal. So, it's a cool thing to see."
Wolverine defensive coordinator Don Brown says Mason plays like an "animal" and defensive lineman Kwity Paye refers to Mason as a "beast."
That persona came at a very young age. Ben started sporting a Mohawk at age 6 and took intimidating Halloween costumes to another level.
"I was the Headless Horseman when I was 7 or 8," Mason told MGoBlue.com this week. "That costume might have gotten me a few extra Reese's (Cups), but I think a few people were probably startled. It had this big, scary mask. It was cool. I had no head and I was holding a head."
The Headless Horseman is part of European folklore, but was popularized in the early 1800s by "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" penned by Washington Irving. It dealt with a Hessian mercenary soldier decapitated fighting in the Revolutionary War returning from the dead to search for his head in the old churchyard where he met his fate.
Little Ben also went as Thomas the Tank Engine and as a baby wearing nothing but a diaper, showing he was as versatile during Halloween as he's always been on the football field.
Mason did it all at Newtown High, where he was Connecticut's Gatorade Player of the Year. He was a four-star recruit rated the No. 29 outside linebacker in the country by ESPN, but also played some "situational" defensive end. He made 113 tackles (11 for lost yardage) with four sacks. He ran the ball 80 times for 719 yards (8.99 yards per carry) for 11 touchdowns. He played tight end and caught 15 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns, and would be something as a college H-back.
Brown recruited Mason -- first for Boston College and then for Michigan after joining head coach Jim Harbaugh's staff -- as a linebacker, but he moved to fullback as a freshman. Mason rushed 33 times for 80 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore, getting most of his carries in short-yardage or goal-line situations.
He was moved to defensive tackle after last season, but said his position switch was initiated before Josh Gattis was named offensive coordinator Jan. 10. Gattis brought in a pro spread offense, and a fullback would've been used only when and if a different formation were used.
"Actually, it's funny," said Mason. "A lot of people think that was the main reason I switched to the D-line. But it actually happened before. I don't know if it was part of the plan with Coach Gattis coming in, but I was moved to defensive tackle before he came here. That was something that was actually brought up last season. They wanted me to think about playing defensive tackle back when Greg Mattison was here.
"I felt really good about it the whole time, and really trusted the coaching staff. I know they wouldn't steer me in the wrong direction. It wouldn't have been easy to make the transition if I didn't believe in it."
Mason said there's also a misconception that he gained 30 pounds to play in the trenches.
"I was listed at 254 last year," he said, "but to be honest I was really 262. Right now, I'm 270, 271. So, I didn't even gain 10 pounds. But I changed the way my body looked by eating right and working out."
Mattison left for Ohio State and the opportunity to become a co-defensive coordinator, and former Pittsburgh Steeler Shaun Nua became the perfect-fit defensive line coach for Mason.
"Coach Nua is really passionate," said Mason, "and he lets that show every day. He's always an energetic guy and you never feel anything but energy. It rubs off on everyone else and has a great effect on the rest of the defense. I couldn't be happier having Coach Nua as a coach."
Mason said he's playing tackle rather than end because "it's easier to pick up" on the responsibilities in various schemes. He has five tackles after two games.
"I'm still improving every day," said Mason. "Spring was a good time to come in and learn the playbook and hone in on my technique, and then to come in for fall camp with this confidence that helped my play a lot."
Mason is still 10 to 30 pounds lighter than the other interior defensive linemen, but his strength enables him to tangle in the trenches. His nickname is "Bench" for his bench press prowess.
There are head games to be won, and Mason's up to that challenge, too. He learned plenty in that area from defensive end Chase Winovich, now making an impact as a New England Patriots rookie.
"Chase is awesome," said Mason. "His whole story, he's just a football player. I loved playing with him."
Mason's relentless approach is so much like Winovich's.
Mason said, "A lot of people think football is a physical game, and it is. But I think the bigger piece to it is just being mentally strong, and no matter what comes at you, no matter what type of position you're put in, no matter whatever's going on with your body or in your life, you've got to find a way to put that aside and just attack each play and every down, and not look too far ahead.
"So, getting in the right state of mind is definitely important, and the best way to do that is to never leave that state of mind. Everything you do, you should do it at 100 percent so you're just so used to doing things the right way that you're always doing things the right way. You study hard (Mason was a 2018 Academic All-Big Ten selection). You go to class, you're always doing the right thing. You eat all your meals at the right times. You watch film whenever you get a chance. Then, when you get on the field, you don't know anything else but to do right."
He found a kindred spirit in true freshman tailback Zach Charbonnet. Mason said they "bonded from the beginning" because they had so much in common "and just built a friendship from there."
"Zach's all about his business all the time," said Mason. "It's no surprise that he's doing what he's doing on the field. I'm really happy for him and can't wait for the rest of the season. There's a lot of guys with great work ethics. But he's just so focused, and that's what separates him. I know exactly how he thinks."
It remains to be seen whether Mason returns to offense as a two-way player, but he is sure that playing fullback helped prepare him for defense:
"As far as playing fullback, the raw technique of it, I think playing defense is going to make me a better fullback and playing fullback made me a better defensive lineman by knowing to be aggressive, hand placement and a lot of the different factors that go into it that interchangeably are helpful. As a fullback, you have to block defensive linemen. And as a defensive lineman, you have to take on blockers."
He picks up telltale signs such as how a running back is angling his hips to better anticipate where he's going and what he's doing.
The constant, no matter the position Mason plays, is his pure love of the game.
"One part of it is that I've been playing it for so long," said Mason. "Another part of it is just being part of a team and coming out here every day with guys from all around the country, and now these guys are your best friends.
"Some guys just came this year. Other guys, I've been playing with for three years. But you only get one opportunity with each group, each team, and that makes it so, so special. You just have to love every single moment because you're never going to get this exact moment again. So, we have to make the most out of every single opportunity we have so we have no regrets at the end of the year."
"I'm excited to see how far we can take the team, and push to limits that exceeds everyone's expectations. A lot of people around this place put a lot of work into it. And we're going to continue the day-to-day work. I'm just excited to see the final product."
