Ohio Football

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Rising Stars: Behanan & Burns

By Dan Clasgens | Managing Editor

Junior Danny Burns is one of the promsiing building blocks for Jason Krause at Fairfield.

Jason Krause’s first season manning the sidelines at Fairfield was filled with many challenges. It led the coach to going from atop the conference a year earlier at Middletown to finishing dead last in the GMC with a 1-9 overall record.

Krause for his part remains confident to the program is on the right track. One of the biggest reasons for the coach’s optimism is what is shaping up to be stellar offensive line play up front for the next couple of seasons.

Juniors Danny Burns (6-7, 305) and Robert Behanan (6-4, 365) are anchors to build around. Both players have great size and athletic ability, a combination that will prove lethal for the Indians in the season ahead.

The duo has great chemistry too and work together well on the field.

“Playing alongside Danny is awesome our teammates consider us power houses,” said Behanan.

“It would be difficult to play without Rob,” Burns added. “We both try to push each other on and off the field.”

Krause insists that both players are going to garner considerable attention from college coaches, but for now he is focused on the immediate task of getting the potential to turn into promise.

“Rob and I get letters from colleges around the country almost every day,” Burns said. “Every now and then, a coach comes in and introduces himself.”

Behanan is hitting several camps this summer, including Ohio State and Cincinnati. Burns already has some camps and visits planned too as he will be going to Tennessee, Pitt, Ohio State, UC, and many others.

Burns is focusing on “improving his footwork” during the offseason while Behanan’s goal is to get “bigger, better, and faster.”

For Behanan’s part he is really looking forward to playing in a second season under Krause.

“My role will be better than last year because I will be more used to the new system and looking forward to take the team far,” Behanan claimed.

With most of last year’s senior offensive line gone both players will be looked upon to be leaders. They took their lumps a year ago, but that could pay dividends this time around.

“Our team had a rough year last year with only a 1-9 record,” Burns admitted. “But we are working everyday to make sure that we will be more than ready this season.

There’s no doubt that Krause has his staff have impacted their team and its attitude, both of these Indians included.

“They have impacted me as a man by showing me that when things aren’t always going your way you need to keep fighting and pick up that person next to you that also may be having the same problems,” Behanan said of Fairfield’s coaching staff. “Never let them down and they won’t let you down. Fast, Hard, Finish.”

FINAL TAKE: Ohio is a hotbed for great offensive linemen and Burns and Behanan both fit the bill. It’s one thing to have the talent, but both these young men have displayed they have the work ethic too. The question isn't whether or not they can play college football, it is more at what level will they be able to make it to. The sky is the limit, but staying grounded and hungry will be important in their development. One thing is for sure the Indians are no longer push-overs, at least up front.

Dan Clasgens is a co-founder of TSF and serves as the President/Director of Media & Content for our parent company, GetSports Enterprises LLC. In addition to nearly a decade of experience in covering local high school football, Dan is a widely recognized as a fantasy football guru. He is both a local and national radio personality, including hosting a weekly show on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. If you are interested in covering your team, please CONTACT US.