
Like his older brother was, Luke Bennett is just looking for a shot at college football.
Every college football fan across America knows the story of Stetson Bennett. A walk-on at Georgia, who chose to walk away from the program to pursue playing time, but eventually came back, on scholarship, and delivered the school its first national title in 41 years.
But not everyone knows the preamble to that particular story. The days of playing backyard football at a home in Blackshear, Georgia. The nights of lighting up South Georgia football for the Pierce County Bears in front of the entire town.
It was a humble beginning to an unbelievable story. One in which the main character had one goal: Keep playing football.
Now, five years since Stetson Bennett left Blackshear for Athens, his younger brother Luke is looking to do the same.
Luke Bennett, a class of 2022 wide receiver out of Pierce County, is looking for an opportunity to play college ball.
“I just want to be somewhere where I can make an impact,” said Bennett.
Bennett’s recruitment, much like his older brother’s, hasn’t been a wave of offers. It’s mostly been him putting himself in front of as many coaches and scouts as possible. Including traveling to Wyoming to attend a camp.
“Yeah, I was invited to Wyoming for a camp. I did pretty well. They had everyone run once, but they pulled me aside and had me run three times.”
And for good reason. Bennett has a laser-timed 4.58 40.
Had a great camp @wyo_football, Ran a 4.58. It was great to finally get on campus and meet the coaches @CoachCBohl @CoachABohl @Coach_SBMoore @CoachJ_Walsh @ghaugii7 @CoachMikeGrant @the_BBoyd @WyoFBRecruiting @RecruitGeorgia @BurchSportsBSP @Lemmingscouting @GeorgiaScouting pic.twitter.com/jmXZJbfMl0
— Luke Henry Bennett (@luke_bennett13) June 27, 2021
Unfortunately for Bennett, he faces the same obstacle that most South Georgia football players do: He isn’t very close to a major airport. (93 miles away from the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport and 76 miles from the Jacksonville International Airport).
Unless you’re one of the ESPN 300, coaches aren’t hopping on helicopters to come and recruit you.
That hasn’t discouraged Bennett. We all watched Stetson Bennett’s story unfold. Luke lived it. Now Luke’s older brother is passing advice from his experience on to him.
So what kind of player is Luke Bennett? Well, as a wide receiver he put together quite the resume during his time as a Pierce County Bear:
- 2021 All-Region
- 2020 State Champion
- 48-6 Overall record
In a run-heavy offense, Bennett found the endzone 13 times in his career.
Why wide receiver? Why not try to follow in his brother’s footsteps as a quarterback?
“Me, Knox, and Stet have always run routes in the yard. Always played one-on-one. Stetson was always all-time QB.” said Bennett “From a young age, it was always us two out in the front yard. He had to have somebody to throw to. Me and Knox were those guys.”
Luke Bennett has visited schools like The Citadel and New Hampshire. Places that could use a wide receiver with his blocking abilities. But he’s still waiting on his opportunity to show that, though his brother is one of the sport’s greatest stories, the Bennetts still have plenty to offer the world of college football.
88 yard kickoff return @RecruitGeorgia @D1Factory @CFBSavage @xixnyne @BVEvery @CoachDavisWR @Lemmingscouting @LDKep @CoachABohl @omjr17 @CoachMLondonjr @CoachDFrazier @Coach_Schaeffer @Ryoung11_ @BurchSportsBSP @coachjtaylorjr @Coach_KC84 @CoachDA_ @CoachASmith3 @Coach_TChang pic.twitter.com/QGcSFKlKwN
— Luke Henry Bennett (@luke_bennett13) October 4, 2021