Hofstra linebacker embracing the end of his college football career

Picture courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

As Hofstra football heads into the home stretch of its 2009 season, fifth year senior linebacker and captain Luke Bonus is trying to embrace every moment of it. Whether it is practices, film sessions, weigh training or Hofstra’s final three games, Bonus wants to end his illustrious college career leaving nothing on the field.

“I know that I haven’t been to the playoffs yet and that is everyone’s ultimate goal but memories, the experiences I have here mean everything to me,” said Bonus, who leads Hofstra in tackles this season with 58. “There is not anything I wouldn’t do for one of these guys on this team and that includes the coaching staff too….They are my family.”

Bonus’s appreciation for Pride football can be rooted back to when he first entered Hofstra’s campus in 2005 as a walk-on and through hard work and determination earned his way to a scholarship. Since first taking the field as a red-shirt freshman in 2006 Bonus has thrived as an undersized 5’10 222 pound linebacker and was an All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) first team selection last year after recording 96 total tackles. After his Hofstra career is over the Medford Lakes, N.J. native would love to stay involved with football either playing professionally or in coaching.

“Being able to say that I walked on and earned my scholarship, this is what I’m proudest of to this day in my life,” said Bonus. “Since I’ve been a little kid they have told me I am too small to play football and every time I go onto the next level they tell me the same thing."

Two weeks ago Bonus and his teammates were crushed after an 18-10 loss to ninth ranked New Hampshire dropped Hofstra to 4-4 and 2-3 in the CAA and likely ended any hope the Pride had of making the playoffs for the first time since 2001. While Bonus is realistic that there is a good chance his Hofstra career will not include a postseason appearance, finishing the season strong in these last three games is paramount to him. The first of these final three regular games is tomorrow at Delaware followed by a road game at Northeastern and the home finale versus Massachusetts on Nov. 21 at 1 p.m.

“We have to go there and fight like it’s our last game,” he said. “We’ve got three real big games coming up right not coming up so we want to make the best out of it.”