Vanessa Venjohn is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Benjamin Franklin for AZPreps365.com.

Known as a silent leader, Dayson Blair is leading the Benjamin Franklin Chargers as quarterback in his final season.

This is Blair’s first full season at quarterback. As a freshman, he had started as a junior-varsity running back but he later shifted to quarterback.

Sophomore year he played five varsity games as a substitute for the injured first-string quarterback, and by Blair’s junior year he became a varsity starter on defense. Now, in Blair’s senior year, he is the starting varsity quarterback and safety.

Blair grew up loving football. He has played for as long as he can remember. His dad, Ryan Blair, played quarterback in high school and has had a huge impact on Blair’s football career. Dayson Blair’s love for the sport sprouted from his dad’s early introduction of playground catch with Blair and his brother.

“From a very early age we would go to the green belts in our neighborhood and it would kind of be a 1-on-1 and so we would trade off,” Ryan Blair said. “I would be quarterback and they would each be receivers, so we did that all the time, all our free movements. That’s kind of how we started out just playing catch, competition in the park, basically.”

At Benjamin Franklin, Blair wasn’t actively searching for a quarterback role. One practice, he was returning the ball after an overthrown pass and his coaches took notice of his potential. They pulled him up to varsity as a backup quarterback. Blair was willing to accept the challenge and do anything to help out his team.

“Very undersized, not truly ready to be the varsity quarterback and he actually did really, really well,'' coach Dave Jefferies said. "He earned himself respect among the other kids, and, I mean, I’m not kidding you when his hand seemed like it barely fit around the football.”

Blair grew up as a quiet kid, but at Benjamin Franklin he's seen as a silent leader who is respected by teammates.

“Past years I was definitely a lot quieter of a person, but our coach says our actions speak louder than words, so I tried my best to show that,” Blair said. “I tried to show how I’m a leader through my work ethic, through pushing my teammates kind of just like the way I push myself. In past years I wasn’t the most talkative person leadership-wise, but through my work ethic and showing out an example is how I tried to be the best leader I could be.”

He grew up a lot shorter than his teammates and opponents. But Blair is dedicated to improving himself in any way possible to face any opposition.

“He’s always loved sports, always loved football, he’s just never (been) the biggest person,'' Ryan Blair said. "And so I made a comment to him years ago.  I said, 'Look, you have to control the things you can. You’re not going to be the biggest, you're not going to be the fastest or whatnot so control the things you can.' He lives in the weight room and he really made the most out of the talent that God’s given him, he’s made the very most out of that from his hard work and dedication.”

Blair’s younger brother, Gage, also plays football at Benjamin Franklin. For the Blair family, football has turned into something deeper than a sport, it has become a family bond.

“He and Gage are best buds and yet they couldn’t be any more opposite,” mother Krista Blair said. “And yet they have this quiet bond between them. If you took one of them away from football, it wouldn’t be the same. They have been buds. They have grown up doing football together, forever. There is just a special place in their heart for football and I think that it has become a family thing.”

Blair, following in his dad’s footsteps, feels that he and his dad have a special connection with football. Using his own experience, Ryan Blair helps to coach Dayson for upcoming games.

“Definitely my dad has been my best mentor,” Blair said. “With my dad, it’s just like with football since we both love it so much, we keep getting closer and he helps me all the time. He helps me get better, so I just feel like he’s been a big mentor not only in football but in my life, which is pretty awesome."

After high school, Blair will serve an LDS mission for two years. When he returns, he plans on attending Arizona State or Brigham Young while pursuing dentistry or chiropractic. But for now, Blair looks forward to finishing out his senior season.

"Just being able to have that chance to go out onto the field and play with all my teammates and peers that I have grown up with so long, it’s just awesome that we have that chance, especially senior year,'' he said.