Revere’s triple threat: Danny Hou, Geo Woodard and Yousef Benhamou lead the charge on offense

By Dom Nicastro

In Revere High School football’s season opener against Whittier Tech, three players stood out: Quarterback Danny Hou along with running backs Geo Woodard and Yousef Benhamou. They demonstrated chemistry and playmaking ability that could carry their team through a promising season. Despite the 44-28 loss, these three offensive leaders showcased a level of skill and determination that should make opponents take notice.

This week, The Revere Advocate caught up with each of them to discuss their thoughts on the season opener, the lessons they learned and how they plan to lead Revere going forward.

Danny Hou: the calm commander

For senior quarterback Danny Hou, football has always been about chemistry – and that connection was on full display during the season opener. Hou accounted for three touchdown passes, threw for 150 yards and rushed for an additional 120 yards in a performance reminiscent of a young Patrick Mahomes.

“Yeah, we were definitely confident about doing damage,” Hou explained. “We all three have been playing since we were little, and ever since, we just had that chemistry of playing together, which made us play the way we did on Friday. The offseason helped a lot more, too; we were always at the field training and working together.”

Hou’s ability to scramble out of the pocket and extend plays proved critical. A highlight reel play in the second quarter, where he scrambled and delivered a 42-yard touchdown pass to Woodard, had fans buzzing. Hou credits his preparation for that type of execution.

“Watching film, I think what worked well for me was being able to see the defense I was going to face and how they played. That helped me come game day because I already knew the stuff they did, and I could adjust,” Hou said. “But the things I would like to improve on are the mistakes I made in the game. I’ve watched myself do it and will try not to do those mistakes again.”

Despite not playing defense in Week 1 due to concerns about injury, Hou is eager to return as a cornerback in Week 2. “I didn’t get to play defense last week, but this week, I’m back at corner, and I’m really excited for it,” said Hou, whose team hosts Masconomet on Friday night, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.

Geo Woodard: the versatile weapon

Woodard, with two touchdown receptions in the opener, has proven that he’s not just a one-dimensional player. Whether it’s catching a long bomb from Hou or converting a two-point conversion, Woodard is a dynamic threat every time he touches the ball.

“I definitely knew the three of us would come into this game making some noise,” said Woodard. “Throughout practice, the three of us always give 110% on everything we do. We always practice how we play, which I think led us to make an impact during the game.”

Woodard’s 42-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, where he out-leapt defenders to snatch the ball out of the air, was a momentum shifter, but he remains focused on improving the team’s ground game. “Watching film, I think what worked well was the passing game; they couldn’t keep up with us whenever we passed the ball. But we need to improve our run game,” Woodard said. “We couldn’t get any penetration on inside runs, but I know as a team we can make adjustments and easily fix that problem.”

Woodard is also adapting to a new role on defense as an outside linebacker. “It was my first time playing outside linebacker, and I definitely struggled with getting used to a new position. But I’m going to work hard at practice to fix those mistakes,” he said.

Yousef Benhamou: the dual-threat playmaker

Yousef Benhamou delivered on both sides of the ball during the season opener, contributing a touchdown catch, a rushing touchdown and 170 total yards. His chemistry with Hou was evident, especially during a crucial 33-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter.

“Coming into Week 1, I was really confident and did believe that we were going to do a lot of damage,” Benhamou said. “I believed this because of our long-time chemistry since we were younger, and our chemistry has only gotten stronger throughout the off-season during practices and 7 on 7s.”

Benhamou envisions himself as a key part of Revere’s offense in multiple ways. “I envision myself contributing to the offense in all ways this season,” he said. “I can contribute by making big plays – pass or run. Even if I am not getting the ball, I will block for my team so that big plays are created.”

When it comes to improvement, Benhamou echoed his teammates’ sentiments. “Watching film, I saw that our passing game was no match for their defense,” he said. “During the game, Danny connected on some long balls to me and Geo. Watching film I realized can work on our running game and our blocking. If we begin to block better our run game will [be] very effective maybe more than our passing game.”

On defense, Benhamou, who plays safety, is looking forward to Week 2’s more pass-heavy opposition. “Last week we played a very heavy running offense,” he said. “But this upcoming week we are playing a passing offense, and, hopefully, I can show off my coverage skills.”