Awards and Honors:
OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (2021-22)
Athletic Director's Honor Roll (F21, S22)
2022: Played in nine games… Picked up a pair of tackles against Mississippi Valley State (Sept. 10)… Had a tackle and two pass breakups against Murray State (Oct. 15)… Added two more tackles against North Alabama (Nov. 5)… Totaled two tackles in the season finale against Alabama (Nov. 19)… Finished the season with eight tackles and two pass breakups.
2021: Played in all 11 games, starting in the final nine… Had season’s best performance against Morehead State (Sept. 18) with one tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry, and a pass breakup… Recorded three or more tackles in five-straight games from Sept. 11 – Oct. 9… Recorded a tackle for loss against Eastern Illinois (Nov. 6)… Had two tackles and one tackle for loss against Tennessee Tech in the season finale (Nov. 20)… Finished the season tied for second in tackles by a defensive lineman with 26.
Prior to Austin Peay: Transferred from Akron, where he appeared in 15 games over three seasons… Made one appearance and redshirted in 2018… Made his first collegiate tackle in a career-high six-tackle effort at Illinois (Aug. 31, 2019)… Picked up his first career tackle for loss against UAB (Sept. 7, 2019)… Finished his redshirt freshman season with 26 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery… Appeared in just four games for the Zips as a redshirt sophomore, recording 10 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.
High School: Played defensive line for coaches Dan Boarman and Robert Wattley at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School… Recorded 73 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery during his senior season… Was named an Associated Press Northeast Ohio Inland District Honorable Mention by the Associated Press in 2016… Participated in the 2016 FBC FBC Thanks4giving All-Star game… Also played lacrosse for the Irish during his prep career.
Personal: Eric Jonathon Bentley is the son of Cathi and Gartrell Bently… Birthday is Sept. 25… Has a brother, Demetrius, who is a linebacker at Southern University… Earned his bachelor’s degree in strategic and organizational communication from Akron in May 2021… Pursuing a master’s degree in strategic leadership at Austin Peay.
