Ex-BC kicker to join N.C. State

A former Boston College player who once was considered one of the best place-kicking prospects in the nation will join the N.C. State football team, his mother said Tuesday.

Billy Bennett was on the Boston College roster in 2007 and 2008, but was suspended indefinitely in October of 2008 for an undisclosed violation of team rules under Jeff Jagodzinski, who was then the Eagles' coach. Bennett enrolled at Mira Costa (Calif.) Junior College in 2009 and has two years to play two seasons at N.C. State.

His mother, Eileen Bennett, declined to discuss whether he was dismissed from Boston College or left school of his own accord.

"It was more of a misunderstanding, but there were no serious offenses," she said.

In 2010, N.C. State returns senior Josh Czajkowski, who's been one of the most accurate kickers in the nation with 26 field goals in 31 attempts over the last two seasons.

But Bennett has a strong leg that could help the Wolfpack improve its poor performance on kickoffs last season with deeper kicks, and would be in line to replace Czajkowski as place-kicker in 2011 if he can't beat him out in 2010.

Eileen Bennett said her son had lots of interest from other schools, but was impressed with N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien and his staff. O'Brien and N.C. State recruiting coordinator Jerry Petercuskie also handled the early recruiting of Bennett for Boston College before they left to join the Wolfpack - and before Bennett signed with the Eagles in 2007 out of Torrey Pines High in San Diego, Calif.

Bennett visited N.C. State last weekend.

"He was incredibly impressed with the college, the players he saw, the students he met and the facilities there," Eileen Bennett said.

During the year after his departure from Boston College, Bennett did not kick for a team but worked out with other kickers and participated in camps run by renowned kicking coach Chris Sailer. Eileen Bennett expects her son to enroll in summer school at N.C. State.

Ken Tysiac