Off the field Ben Fox is usually the first to crack a joke or poke fun at himself but between the lines when the whistle blows, the massive 6-foot-6, 290-pound Pinnacle High School tackle is all business.
“Nasty,” Pioneer head coach Dana Zupke said to Sports360AZ.com after a recent spring practice.
By his own omission, that nastiness wasn’t always there. It wasn’t until a broken ankle forced Fox to miss his entire sophomore season and view the sport he loves from a different perspective.
“It helped to look back and see things from a coaches point of view,” the well-liked junior explained to Sports360AZ.com. “See exactly what they wanted to have done.”
Fox has taken the advice to heart, creating big holes for ultra-productive classmate Hunter Griggs and protecting the blind side of star sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler.
Fun weekend competing! Received a score of 48 out of 50 possible points. #passpro ? pic.twitter.com/iLVRE0QMw8
— Benjamin Fox (@benfox79) May 1, 2017
“Having a mentor like Ben Thomas ahead of him, watching what Ben does and how he plays,” Zupke said of the graduating senior guard. “Playing with Ben Thomas last year, Ben Fox really started to understand how to finish guys and the power that that brings. He’s a road grader in the run game.”
Great Junior Day today at the University of Washington! pic.twitter.com/fg5i70X1Rg
— Benjamin Fox (@benfox79) April 9, 2017
Fox’s size and afore-mentioned power has helped land him a scholarship offer from NAU and interest from several others. He has developed a connection with Lumberjacks’ open, honest staff under head coach Jerome Souers.
Besides his gridiron attributes, Fox also possesses one of the deepest voices you’ll ever encounter from a teenager or even grown adult for that matter.
“I don’t really say anything about it but [guys] on the team joke with him,” Rattler said with a wide smile when asked about Fox’s boisterous pipes. “His voice is deeper than anybody I’ve ever heard. Ben’s a nice kid, he’ll crack a few jokes here and there.”
Recently Fox attempted to put that deep voice to work when he half-jokingly asked Zupke if he’d allow him to sing the National Anthem before an upcoming Pinnacle home game this fall.
The quest, pardon the pun, fell in deft ears.
“It was less than stellar,” Zupke said with a grin referencing the impromptu audition.
Luckily for Fox, his football skill set is anything but less than stellar.
That’s a trade Zupke and the Pioneers will take.
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Eric Sorenson
A Valley native, Eric has had a passion for the Arizona sports scene since an early age. He has covered some of the biggest events including Super Bowls, national championships and the NBA and MLB playoffs in his near 20 years in local media.