Catching Up with Michael Bennett
A moderately recruited three-star prospect out of Alpharetta High School, Michael Bennett originally wanted to play for Florida before he became one of the Georgia Bulldogs’ most clutch and dependable wide receivers in recent memory.
From 2011 through 2014, although missing a total of 12 games because of three significant knee injuries and being part of perhaps the most talented receiving corps in UGA history, Bennett totaled 134 receptions for 1,607 yards and 17 touchdowns in 43 games/27 starts. To conclude his senior year, he was the recipient of the team’s Billy Payne Award, honoring a four-year player with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Entering the 2024 season, Bennett still ranks 11th in school history in career receptions and seventh in career touchdown catches despite his playing days having ended a decade ago.
We caught up with him from his home in the Atlanta area.
UGASports: Discuss your recruiting process while at Alpharetta High School before Georgia began showing interest in you.
Bennett: I had no offers until late summer going into my junior year. Then, I started getting offered from schools in Conference USA and the MAC (Mid-American Conference). My dad had attended Michigan State University, so I grew up a Big 10 fan. I joke, but it’s pretty much true: Every school in the state of Michigan that had a football program wanted me out of high school—except Michigan and Michigan State of the Big 10. At first, none of the Power Five schools showed much interest. I knew I could have gone to a smaller program and been one of the main guys, but I wasn’t really interested in often playing on weekdays and in front of small crowds. I always knew I wanted to play bigger football. And I knew I wanted to play in the SEC. Florida was coming off its Tim Tebow-championship years, and I loved those Gator teams. So, I really wanted to go to Florida. I started to have conversations with Kenny Carter (the Gators' running backs coach at the time) , and they seemed interested, but I was pretty much told that there had to be another school in the SEC to offer me first before Florida would do so (Huh?). Supposedly, Florida simply didn’t want to be the first SEC school to offer me. I eventually got offers from Kentucky and Vanderbilt, but those came after my Georgia offer.
UGASports: Describe how Georgia eventually offered you.
Bennett: I attended camps during the summer to further show what I could do beyond playing in high school. And I always did really well in the one-on-one competitions. At these camps, I might have shown that I still needed some development; however, I’d always overperform and surprise people when I was placed in the one-on-ones. The same was true at Georgia when I camped there during the summer before my senior year. Coach Mike Bobo (UGA's then-offensive coordinator) and Tony Ball, who was the receivers coach at the time, had told me that Georgia had some interest in me, but I needed to camp and prove myself against top recruits. I was like, let’s go! I had no problem doing that. I went up against some highly-touted defensive backs in the one-on-ones—and I did very well. Coach Bobo approached my dad and me and said that Georgia really liked me, but he had to first talk with Coach [Mark] Richt to figure out if they could offer me or not. So, not thinking I’d hear anything soon, if I heard anything at all, I went on with whatever I was doing at the camp. Suddenly, after only maybe 60 seconds had gone by, Coach Bobo came up to me and said, “Yeah, I just talked to Coach Richt. And we can offer you.” I was like, whoa, that's cool.
UGASports: Did you accept right there on the spot? And whatever happened with Florida?
Bennett: I asked Coach Bobo if I could have a couple of days to think about everything, which he had no problem with. And, honestly, I did call Coach Carter at Florida to see where they stood considering my recent offer from Georgia. But Florida said they were going to remain on the sidelines and not offer me for the time being. So, I decided then I wanted to go somewhere where I was wanted—not where I was not—and soon committed to Georgia. It was sometime in mid-June.
UGASports: After redshirting late in your true freshman season, what do you recall about suddenly becoming one of Georgia’s primary receiver targets by the second game of the 2011 campaign vs. South Carolina?
Bennett: Early in the 2011 season, I was the No. 4 receiver on the team, but Marlon [Brown] was dealing with an ankle injury, so I started seeing significant time. Unfortunately, what I mostly recall about that South Carolina game is how I fumbled after my very first catch at Georgia. Early in the third quarter, we had the ball around midfield and trailing by only one point. I caught a tunnel screen from Aaron [Murray] and a South Carolina defender hit me—and I fumbled. On the play, my knee was ruled down, but the officials still reviewed it to see if I fumbled. We kept the ball, but I got pulled from the game. I remember I couldn’t believe I fumbled on my first catch, and how I was never going to play again. But I was soon back in there and caught my second pass early in the fourth quarter. It was a little slant over the middle where I made a couple of guys miss, and then I scored (a 19-yard touchdown reception). I remember thinking, wow, that's a turn of events right there, going from fumbling after my first catch to scoring on my second. Still, from a team standpoint, it was a tough time for us as we wound up losing [to South Carolina] and starting the season with an 0-2 record (6-9 since the start of the season before).
UGASports: Still, with you eventually becoming a starter as a redshirt freshman, Georgia won 10 games in a row after the 0-2 start. Included was a much-needed 24-20 victory over Florida, a game that put you on the map, so to speak. What do you recall about your critical, spectacular fourth-down touchdown catch when Georgia trailed by two touchdowns late in the second quarter? If you don’t catch that touchdown, Florida gains possession and the Bulldogs likely ultimately lose the game—and who knows what repercussions would have followed.
Bennett: Against Florida in 2011, the thing was, I was so locked in on what I was supposed to do, I honestly didn't even notice the down and distance or even how big the play was in the game until after the fact. I had absolutely no idea. After my catch, T.K. (Tavarres King) scored a touchdown on fourth down, as well, which was just as important. That came in the third quarter tying the game, and we eventually won. I feel like that game turned the tide in the Georgia-Florida rivalry (the Gators entered having won 18 of 21 in the series). Beginning with that game to the present, we’ve definitely had the upper hand in the rivalry (the Bulldogs are 9-4 in the series since then). It was always fun playing against Florida. That was my favorite game by far. I eventually realized the importance of my touchdown catch against the Gators, and it gave me a real confidence boost going forward. We kept winning and then reached our team goal of getting to the SEC Championship Game, which the team hadn’t done in a while (six years since 2005).
UGASports: During your first couple of years playing at Georgia, the team’s receivers room consisted of the likes of Malcolm Mitchell, Tavarres King, Marlon Brown, Chris Conley, Rantavious Wooten, Justin Scott-Wesley, and, of course, yourself. Describe the competition. And, when healthy, how did you remain a starter, a significant contributor, amongst such a talented group?
Bennett: Man, we had talent all over the place. It was so much fun. In 2012, Aaron was at quarterback and we had Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall in the backfield. And we had so much talent at receiver, I think that year was the first time Georgia ever ran a five-receiver set. We called it the “Cinco” package. Honestly, competing against guys like that as teammates, I was so afraid my whole career of losing my starting position. But I knew that Tony Ball (Bennett’s position coach his entire time at UGA) was super-big on run blocking, believing it was just as important as the passing game for a receiver. So, I bought into that. I knew that if I consistently demonstrated that I was just as focused on run-blocking, that would only help my spot as a starter. Plus, whatever that team needed me to do, I was going to totally do it. With so much talent in our receivers' room, if I didn't show up every day, I’d be sitting on the bench, and it’d be next man up. So, it was almost more so out of fear than anything else that I remained the starter for most of my career. With Coach Ball as my position coach, I often had to fight to keep my starting position.
UGASports: Explain further your relationship with Coach Ball.
Bennett: Honestly, Coach Ball and I butted heads like crazy my first two-three years at Georgia. He was super-tough on me. Early on, I struggled sometimes to get off press coverages in my route running. And Coach Ball obviously let me know about it. Also, if I had what he considered an off game, he’d pull my starting position and demote me. That happened a handful of times. However, Coach Ball knew he could push me like that—and I would respond every time. He knew all of his players’ personalities so well, and knew which guys he could get to respond if pushed to their absolute limit. By 2013 and 2014, when I had demonstrated I could be fully trusted and would deliver on the field, Coach Ball and I had bonded and became close. I keep in touch with him today, and we just laugh about when we butted heads. Coach Ball has told me before that he was tough because he knew he could get the best out of me if he was that way. He was right.
UGASports: Despite suffering your third significant knee injury of your UGA career in your final game (2014 Belk Bowl vs. Louisville), you still ultimately achieved a dream of yours to play in the NFL. Describe your injury-to-NFL journey.
Bennett: To tear the ACL in my left knee (Bennett’s injuries in 2012 and 2013 were both to his right knee) in my final game, the Belk Bowl, was devastating. I had surgery a week later in early January. From there, I rehabbed all day, every day for five months before I got the all-clear to play. I hadn’t been drafted, but I may have been a late-round pick at best before the injury. So, not getting drafted wasn’t a big deal. In fact, because of the injury, I didn’t get signed until August by the Cincinnati Bengals just before the start of training camp. After seven months since my surgery, I was out there practicing with the Bengals. I felt great. I felt like I could compete at the NFL level. Unfortunately, I was cut—but they signed me back halfway through the year. I was on the Bengals’ practice squad for about half a season, and then they signed me to a futures deal, which was great. In 2016, I made it all the way to training camp with Cincinnati before I was cut again. I then stayed in shape for another couple of months after that, and then just decided to hang [football] up.
UGASports: Did you know exactly what you were going to do then?
Bennett: No, I had no idea. I had to figure out who was going to pay me some money (laughing). I didn't know what I wanted to do. If I’m being honest, I attended college to play football and get a degree with my name on it. That's all I cared about. So, when I say that I hung football up, it’s more like the NFL hung up football for me. I got calls to play in the Canadian League, and one of the spring leagues, like the USFL, was also popping up around then. But I wasn’t interested in either. So, I just focused on my next career and landed in real estate—and I’ve been doing that ever since.
UGASports: What exactly do you do professionally?
Bennett: I’ve worked at Cresa for seven-and-a-half years as a commercial real estate advisor, specializing in industrial real estate—warehousing and manufacturing buildings. I help companies buy/lease or sell their corporate/industrial real estate. I specialize in Atlanta but work all over the country.
UGASports: Tell us about your family.
Bennett: My wife, Audrey, and I met at UGA. She actually worked as an assistant under Loran Smith while she was at Georgia. We live in Dunwoody with our two girls: Brynn, who is four years old, and Riley, who is two.
UGASports: Describe your current association with the UGA football program.
Bennett: I try to come back for one or two games a year. Although this past season, I was only able to get back for the SEC Championship Game—and, well, that didn’t work out great. But my wife’s family has had season tickets forever, so we try to get back when we can. I also try to play in a golf tournament every now and then. I play in a golf tournament hosted by Aaron [Murray] through ESP (Extra Special People) every year.
UGASports: Finally, how are you affected today—and maybe for the rest of your life—by the short time you spent as a student-athlete at the University of Georgia?
Bennett: Well, I’ll say it’s been beneficial working in Atlanta in my business. My work is very competitive and I’m a commission-only guy. You eat what you kill in my work. But the UGA “network” has been beneficial for me to grow my business in Atlanta. I’m very humbled by it, but it’s crazy to me that Georgia fans still remember who I am. I was decently successful at Georgia, but I played a decade ago and to think of all the other Bulldog players who have come since me… I am forever grateful for Georgia fans—especially their passion, and how much they care. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more passionate fan base. That’s Bulldog Nation for you!