Venique Benton enters his fifth season as MNU’s Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach.

In 2020, his first season with the Pioneers as the Special Teams Coordinator/Linebacker coach. Benton helped guide 3 players to All-Conference honors. Guided the #1 Linebacker in the country in tackles Jackson Berck, with 83 total tackles in 8 games. Berck was also the #2 Punter in the country with a 40 yd Avg. Guided the #5 Kick returner in the country in Paul Saint Louis. 

In 2021, his first season coaching the defensive backs the Pioneers had 11 Interceptions and 16 Pass break ups as a unit in the defensive backfield. As a unit the Pioneers got better on 3rddown conversions by 4%, 46.28% in 2020, to 42.76% in 2021. Coached the #8 Player in the country in Interceptions Troy Hall with 6 Interceptions, this is the second best in school history in a season. 

In 2022, his second season coaching the defensive backs. The Pioneers as a unit was #6 in the country tallying 19 interceptions with 16 of them coming from the secondary. The defensive back group also tallied 40 pass break ups. As a unit the Pioneers got better on 3rd down conversions by another 4%. In 2021 they gave up 42% on 3rd down, in 2022 they only gave up 38% on 3rddown. Had the #21 kicker in the country and helped him to All-conference honors. Also guided 3 defensive backs to All-conference honors. 

During the 2023, the Pioneers as a unit reduced its total passing touchdowns going from given up from 27 passing touchdowns in 2022, to only giving up 15 passing touchdowns in 2023.  This is the 3rd best in school history. This group also tallied up 29 pass break ups. Also coached the #11 Kick returner in the country Arlandes Mitchell avg 25 yds a return. Helped guide a Pioneer defensive unit that has decreased it’s point per game from 41 points per game in 2021, to 25 points per game in 2023. The Pioneers were #6 in the country in blocked kicks. 

Coach Benton is from Waxahachie, TX. He was an all-state Quarterback in high school. He played at SAGU where he helped lead the Lions to it’s best season in school history and a win in the Victory Bowl. He received his Bachelors in Business Sport Management from Southwestern Assemblies of God.