Former UM star gets coaching job

When spring football practice begins this year, Northeast will have a former NFL talent guiding the program.

Northeast athletic director Dave Phillips confirmed on Friday that Donnell Bennett has been hired as the school's new coach.

Bennett, a Fort Lauderdale native, was a second-round draft choice of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1994. He was a running back at the University of Miami and played at Cardinal Gibbons.

Bennett has been an assistant coach at Gibbons, and Phillips said this would be his first high school head coaching position.

"We're extremely excited and feel so fortunate to have him," Phillips said. "It's good for not just our student-athletes, but all the students at our school. He's a role model who has succeeded at every level."

Bennett replaces former coach Adam Ratkevich who stepped down after eight seasons with the Hurricanes. Northeast was 6-4 last season.

(sun-sentinel.com)