Post by Bornthrilla on Mar 17, 2005 10:04:26 GMT -5
His name is Willie Bennett and he previously coached at Alabama A&M University. He just graduated from Hampton in 2002 which obviously explains how Coach Small and Lee were familar with him in the first place. He was already out and about on Tuesday at the NFL pro day, so I assume that he must have been hired a few weeks ago. I've been told that he will coach just the cornerbacks while Coach Oliver will coach the safties. As a former player under both Small and Lee I'm sure Bennett won't have any problem getting on the same page with his bosses, which allegedly was Hart's undoing.
His bio from the AAMU website:
WILLIE BENNETT
SECONDARY COACH/OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Willie Bennett, Jr. is the youngest of the football assistants, in his first collegiate coaching position at A&M and having just graduated from Hampton University in Spring 2002. Bennett played four years at Hampton, starting as a true freshman and not missing a start except for his junior year after a season-ending injury. Even that year he contributed as a student
assistant for the secondary. He received his BS in Sports Management with a GPA of 3.4 and twice earning a 4.1 GPA.
Bennett holds the single-season punt-return and kickoff- return average record for Hampton and was the Urban League Classic MVP vs. Howard, and two- time MVP in
the Battle of the Bay Classic vs. Norfolk State. He finished his career at Hampton with
18 interceptions (4 for TDs), 10 sacks a long with 8 blocked kicks, and 6 kick returns
for touchdowns.
Bennett came to Hampton after earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the District of Columbia while playing for H.D. Woodson SHS (Academy of Finance and Business), and chose Hampton over such schools as Harvard and the Air Force Academy. He returned to Woodson in 1999 as a defensive coordinator in the school's summer passing league.
Last season at A&M the outside linebackers, under Coach Bennett's teaching, helped to improve the Bulldog defense to No. 1 in the conference. The rushing defensive allowed only 83.8 yards a game on their way to the SWAC Championship game.
Though he's single with no children, Bennett is the proud godfather of two. He is also the youngest of five children to Mr. and Mrs. Willie Bennett, Sr., and is a member of Phi Delta Psi Fraternity, Inc.
www.aamu.edu/PR/sports/football/staff/bennett.htm
His bio from the AAMU website:
WILLIE BENNETT
SECONDARY COACH/OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Willie Bennett, Jr. is the youngest of the football assistants, in his first collegiate coaching position at A&M and having just graduated from Hampton University in Spring 2002. Bennett played four years at Hampton, starting as a true freshman and not missing a start except for his junior year after a season-ending injury. Even that year he contributed as a student
assistant for the secondary. He received his BS in Sports Management with a GPA of 3.4 and twice earning a 4.1 GPA.
Bennett holds the single-season punt-return and kickoff- return average record for Hampton and was the Urban League Classic MVP vs. Howard, and two- time MVP in
the Battle of the Bay Classic vs. Norfolk State. He finished his career at Hampton with
18 interceptions (4 for TDs), 10 sacks a long with 8 blocked kicks, and 6 kick returns
for touchdowns.
Bennett came to Hampton after earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the District of Columbia while playing for H.D. Woodson SHS (Academy of Finance and Business), and chose Hampton over such schools as Harvard and the Air Force Academy. He returned to Woodson in 1999 as a defensive coordinator in the school's summer passing league.
Last season at A&M the outside linebackers, under Coach Bennett's teaching, helped to improve the Bulldog defense to No. 1 in the conference. The rushing defensive allowed only 83.8 yards a game on their way to the SWAC Championship game.
Though he's single with no children, Bennett is the proud godfather of two. He is also the youngest of five children to Mr. and Mrs. Willie Bennett, Sr., and is a member of Phi Delta Psi Fraternity, Inc.
www.aamu.edu/PR/sports/football/staff/bennett.htm
