Football

FOOTBALL RECRUITING
West Potomac's Bennett Orally Commits to U-Conn.
By B.J. Koubaroulis
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, November 6, 2007; E06

West Potomac senior All-Met Jimmy Bennett has orally committed to play football at the University of Connecticut. Bennett, a 6-foot-8, 285-pound left tackle ranked as one of the nation's top offensive line recruits, made his decision Sunday night.

He chose the Huskies over West Virginia, Boston College, Michigan State, Penn State, Maryland and Virginia Tech.

"It was for all the right reasons," said Bennett, who has not yielded a sack in his high school career and who this season helped West Potomac (7-3, 4-3 Virginia AAA Patriot District) to its first playoff berth since 2000. "The coach takes personal interest in the players' grades and the players themselves, and they're not just another player on the roster. It's a family-type atmosphere up there. It's a great atmosphere for learning and playing."

In just its sixth season of division I-A football, Connecticut (8-1, 4-0 Big East) is ranked 16th by the Associated Press and is 13th in the Bowl Championship Series ratings.

"It would make no difference if they were good or bad," Bennett said. "Even if they were 0-9, I would still go there."