| Cedric Benson |
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Running Back
6-0 · 225
Midland, Texas (Lee)
#32
Became the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft when he was taken by the Chicago Bears ... "runs big, doesn't get knocked off his feet very easily and hits the hole quickly," offensive coordinator Greg Davis says ... got bigger and stronger each year, gaining more than 20 pounds since he arrived at UT ... winner of the 2004 Doak Walker Award and Cingular ABC Sports All-America Player of the Year Award ... semifinalist for the Maxwell Award ... named as one of 10 "Players to Watch" for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award ... earned first-team All-America honors from ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Walter Camp Football Foundation ... unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2004 ... earned co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors from the Austin-American Statesman ... tabbed a preseason first-team All-American and rated as the "Best Athlete in the Big 12" by Street & Smith's ... ranked as one of the Top 10 Heisman Trophy prospects for 2004 by Lindy's ... a 2004 Playboy Preseason All-American ... projected as one of the top six running backs in the nation entering 2004 by The Sporting News ... a two-time UT offensive MVP ... has run for 5,540 yards (No. 6 on the NCAA all-time list/No. 2 on UT's all-time list) in 50 games (44 starts) ... is just the 10th running back in NCAA history to rush for over 5,000 career yards ... is one of three players in NCAA history to rush for 5,000 yards and score 400 points ... was only the fifth back in NCAA history to rush for over 1,000 yards in four straight seasons ... rushed for 64 TDs (T-No. 3 on NCAA all-time list/No. 2 on the UT all-time list) on 1,089 carries and caught 69 passes (No. 5 on UT's receptions by a RB list) for 621 yards (No. 5 on UT's receiving yards by a RB list) and three TDs ... set an NCAA record by scoring a TD in 37 career games ... tied a UT record by scoring a rushing TD in 11 consecutive games (2003-04) ... was the nation's active leader in rushing yards and rushing TDs ... totaled 6,161 all-purpose yards in his career (No. 2 on UT's all-time list) ... recorded 25 career 100-yard games (No. 2 on UT's career list), and Texas was 25-0 in those games ... recorded 13 100-yard rushing halves and seven 90-yard rushing quarters ... had three career 200-yard games (T-No. 3 on UT's all-time list) ... 258 of his 1,089 career carries went for first downs (23.7%) ... gained 3,075 of his 5,540 career rushing yards (55.6%) after contact ... only 80 of his 1,089 career carries resulted in lost yardage (once every 13.6 carries) ... scored a rushing TD in 34 of his last 41 games ... his 404 career points rank second in UT history and fourth in NCAA history among non-kickers ... his 67 total touchdowns are second behind Ricky Williams (75) on UT's all-time list... started all 12 games in 2004 ... ran for 1,834 yards (T-No. 2 on the UT single-season list) and 19 TDs (No. 4 on the UT single-season list) as a senior ... became the second fastest to 1,000 yards in UT history on 155 carries in 2004 ... a consensus first-team All-Big 12 pick as a junior ... ran for 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns on 168 attempts over the last six games and rushed for a touchdown in each of the last seven in 2003 ... cleared the 1,000-yard mark at Texas A&M during his junior season to become just the third back in UT history to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons and the first to do so in his first three years on campus ... played in 12 games with 11 starts in 2003, compiling 1,360 yards rushing (No. 5 on UT's single-season list) on 258 carries with 21 touchdowns (No. 3 on UT's single-season list) ... also had nine receptions for 120 yards and a 59-yard TD (at Rice) ... finished second in the nation in scoring (11.17 ppg) on 134 points (No. 3 on UT's single-season list) ... twice named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and three times named UT's Darrell K Royal Offensive Player of the Week ... had a career-high 283 yards (third-best total in NCAA Division I-A in 2003) and four touchdowns at Texas A&M ... despite battling turf toe and cracked ribs, rushed for 1,293 yards (No. 7 on UT's single-season list) and 12 TDs as a sophomore ... had 208 and 199-yard efforts on the year ... also caught 21 passes for 119 yards and led the team with 1,412 all-purpose yards ... a consensus second-team All-Big 12 choice in 2002 ... one of the nation's top true freshmen in 2001 ... played in 12 games and started seven contests overall ... missed the second half of the Big 12 Championship game and did not play in the Holiday Bowl due to a pinched nerve in his neck ... set or tied 13 UT freshman records ... ranked first among true freshman running backs nationally in rushing yards and third among all freshman backs (1,053 yards) ... became the first UT freshman to rush for 1,000 yards in a season ... earned first-team Freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News ... named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and UT's Offensive MVP (first freshman in UT history to accomplish that) ... became the first UT player since RB Terry Orr (1984) to record a 60-yard run and reception in the same game (vs. Kansas) ... the first Longhorn since Eric Metcalf (1985) to post a 60-yard rush and reception in the same season ... a prep Parade All-American and three-time Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year ... rushed for 8,423 career yards and scored 127 TDs during his prep career.
SENIOR (2004)
Winner of the 2004 Doak Walker Award and Cingular ABC Sports All-America Player of the Year Award ... semifinalist for the Maxwell Award ... named as one of 10 "Players to Watch" for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award ... earned first-team All-America honors from ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Walter Camp Football Foundation ... unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2004 ... earned Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors from the Austin-American Statesman ... started all 12 games ... rushed for 1,834 yards (No. 2 on the UT single-season list) and 19 TDs (No. 5 on the UT single-season list), while catching 22 passes for 179 yards ... became the second-fastest rusher to 1,000 yards in UT history on 155 carries ... ranks fourth in the nation and first in the Big 12 in rushing (152.8 ypg), seventh in all-purpose yards (167.8 ypg) and seventh in scoring (10 ppg) ... ran for over 100 yards in 10 games (finished his career T-No. 2 on the UT single-season list) ... despite playing just over a half, opened 2004 with 181 yards and two TDs on 15 carries against a North Texas defense that ranked 15th nationally against the run last year ... added 188 yards at Arkansas, caught a 13-yard TD pass and was tabbed the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week ... tallied 189 yards versus Rice, including 126 in the first quarter, against an Owls defense that entered the game leading the nation in rushing defense (8.0 ypg) ... against Baylor, amassed 188 yards, with 105 coming in the first half, and three TDs to earn Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week ... became just the second back in UT history to open the season with four-straight 100-yard rushing games (A.J. "Jam" Jones, 1979) ... added 92 yards rushing and 33 yards receiving (125 total) versus a No. 2 Oklahoma defense that ranked sixth nationally against the run (77.0 ypg) ... followed with 150 yards and two TDs versus Missouri's eighth-ranked defense that allowed just 98 yards per game on the ground ... his two rushing TDs matched the most Missouri had allowed in their first five games of 2004 ... at Texas Tech, Benson netted 168 yards on the ground with one TD, surpassing 1,000 yards for the season ... totaled 141 yards at Colorado, to pass 5,000 for his career, while adding two TDs ... versus No. 19 Oklahoma State, became just the second player in UT history to rush for at least five TDs in a game (No. 3 on UT's single game list; Ricky Williams, four times) ... also caught a career-high five passes for 51 yards against the Cowboys ... for that performance was named The Sporting News' National Offensive Player of the Week ... at Kansas, set a new NCAA record for games scoring a TD with his 36th ... the score was a rushing TD to go with his 161 rushing yards in the game ... extended his total to 37 games with a rushing TD against Texas A&M while rushing for 165 yards to tie him with Ricky Williams for second on UT's single-season 100-yard rushing games list with 10 ... it marked his eighth game over 150 yards in 2004... rushed for 70 yards against Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
JUNIOR (2003)
Consensus first-team All-Big 12 ... earned a spot on UT's Athletics Director's Honor Roll in the fall of 2003 ... shared UT's Darrell K Royal Most Valuable Offensive Player Award ... named UT's Outstanding Offensive Back ... played in 12 games with 11 starts in 2003, compiling 1,360 yards rushing (No. 5 on UT's single-season list) on 258 carries with 21 TDs (No. 3 on UT's single-season list) ... had at least one TD run in 10 of 12 games ... 756 of his 1,360 yards (55.6%) came after initial contact ... also had nine receptions for 120 yards ... was second in the nation in scoring with an average of 11.17 points per game on 134 points (No. 3 on UT's single-season list) ... ran for 1,002 yards and 14 TDs on 168 attempts over the last six games and rushed for a TD in each of the last seven ... rushed for 130 yards on 18 carries and two TDs at Rice and had one reception for a 59-yard TD ... ran the ball 18 times for 86 yards and scored three touchdowns against Tulane ... began a streak of five consecutive 100-yard games with 140 yards on 32 carries and three TDs at Iowa State ... registered 174 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns versus Nebraska to earn both Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and UT's Darrell K Royal Offensive Player of the Week honors ... followed with 180 yards rushing on 27 carries with a TD at Oklahoma State ... carried the ball 24 times for 142 yards and two TDs versus Texas Tech ... recorded a career-high 283 rushing yards (No. 4 on UT's single-game list) and four TDs at Texas A&M, the highest single-game rushing total ever allowed by the Aggies ... the 283 rushing yards were the third-highest single-game total in NCAA Division I-A in 2003 ... broke the 1,000-yard mark against Texas A&M for the third consecutive season, becoming only the third Texas running back to accomplish that and the first to do so in his first three seasons ... the A&M game was the third 200-yard game of his career (T-3rd on UT's career list) ... had a season-long run of 50 yards at Texas A&M ... rushed for 83 yards and a TD in the Holiday Bowl versus No. 15 Washington State.
SOPHOMORE (2002)
Started all 13 games ... earned third-team All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches ... also a second-team all-conference selection by The Associated Press, Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle and Kansas City Star ... named UT's Outstanding Offensive Back ... rushed for 1,293 yards (No. 7 on UT's single-season chart) on 305 carries and scored 12 TDs ... gained 754 (58.3%) of his yards after initial contact and 63 of his carries went for first downs (20.7%) ... also caught 21 passes for 119 yards ... led the team with 1,412 all-purpose yards (108.6 ypg) ... scored at least one TD in 10 games and in the last six contests overall ... ranked sixth in the Big 12 and 38th nationally in rushing yards per game (99.5 ypg)... a key member of a UT offense that ranked 16th in the NCAA in scoring offense (33.8 ppg.) ... tabbed the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week following the North Carolina and Iowa State contests ... rushed for 208 yards and two TDs on 31 carries at North Carolina and racked up 199 yards and two scores, including a season-long 59-yard TD, on 30 carries against No. 17 Iowa State ... had eight runs of 10 or more yards against the Cyclones ... rushed for 46 yards and a TD on 12 carries and caught two passes for 29 yards, including a season-long 33-yarder, in the Cotton Bowl against LSU ... posted 160 yards and one TD on a career-high 37 carries and caught four passes for 33 yards against Houston ... tallied 117 yards on 27 carries against Oklahoma State ... topped the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive season and reached the 2,000-yard barrier for his career after gaining 86 yards on 28 carries at Nebraska ... carried the ball 17 times for 88 yards and a score at Tulane ... rushed for 75 yards on 21 carries and a TD at Texas Tech.
FRESHMAN (2001)
Played in 12 games and started the final seven regular season contests ... did not play in the Holiday Bowl due to a pinched nerve in his neck ... named UT's Offensive MVP, Outstanding Offensive Newcomer and Offensive Back ... earned first-team Freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News ... named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches and Fort Worth Star-Telegram ... earned second-team All-Big 12 and Freshman of the Year honors from the Austin American-Statesman and The Dallas Morning News ... also a second-team all-conference choice (Houston Chronicle) and third-team selection (league's coaches) ... led the team with 1,256 all-purpose yards, 1,053 rushing yards on 223 carries and 13 total touchdowns (12 rush/1 rec), all of which were UT freshman records ... also caught 17 passes for 203 yards and a score ... 541 of his rushing yards (51.4%) came after contact ... set or tied 13 UT freshman records (eight season/five single-game) ... ranked first among the nation's true freshmen running backs in rushing yards and third among all freshmen backs ... rushed for 867 yards on 179 carries (123.9 ypg) and scored 10 total TDs (nine rush/one rec) in the final seven games after becoming the starting tailback at Oklahoma State ... had a freshman-record five consecutive 100-yard rushing games from Oct. 13-Nov. 10 ... first Longhorn since Eric Metcalf (1985) to post a 60-yard rush and reception in the same season ... rushed for 79 yards (on 13 carries) and a TD in less than two quarters of action in the Big 12 Championship game against No. 9 Colorado ... missed the final two-and-a-half quarters with an injury ... ran for 79 yards on 27 attempts and scored two TDs at Texas A&M ... 67 of his yards and both TDs helped UT snap a 7-7 tie in the fourth quarter of that game ... set UT's single-game freshman records for rushing yards (213 on 28 carries), all-purpose yards (281) and points scored (18-tied) against Kansas ... had a 61-yard run and two receptions for 68 yards, including a career-best 60-yard score on a shovel pass in that game ... became the first UT player since RB Terry Orr in 1984 to record a 60-yard run and reception in the same game ... named UT's Darrell K Royal Offensive Player of the Week following that contest ... posted 108 yards and two scores on 26 carries and had four receptions for 33 yards at Baylor ... tallied 157 rushing yards on 31 carries at Missouri ... had 100 yards on 23 carries and scored two TDs to go along with three receptions for 59 yards in the Longhorns' first matchup with No. 14 Colorado ... in his first career start, tallied 131 rushing yards on a UT freshman-record 31 carries at Oklahoma State ... his 64 rushing yards (on 15 carries) against New Mexico State ranked fifth on UT's freshman debut chart.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by John Parchman at Midland Lee High ... a Parade All-American ... three-time Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state back who rushed for 8,423 career yards (fourth-most in Texas history/first in Class 5A history) ... scored 127 career TDs (second-most in Texas history/third-most nationally) ... averaged 183.1 yards and 2.8 TDs per game during his career ... rushed for 100 or more yards in 33 of his final 34 games and scored in 36 of his final 37 outings ... posted five career 300-yard rushing games ... led team to a 43-3 record and three consecutive Texas 5A Division I State Championships (just the fourth team in Texas history to win three consecutive titles in Class 5A) ... rushed for 680 yards on 90 carries (7.6 avg.) and scored a state-record 15 TDs in the three state title game victories ... named USA Today's Texas Player of the Year and was a finalist (Southwest Region winner) for the High School Heisman in 2000 ... rushed for 2,871 yards and 43 TDs and caught nine passes for 233 yards and three TDs as a senior ... rushed for 255 yards and scored five TDs in leading Lee to a 33-21 win against Austin Westlake in the 2000 title game ... Lee finished the year with a 13-2 record and a No. 8 national ranking (USA Today) ... ran for 3,526 yards and 44 TDs and caught 14 passes for 360 yards and seven TDs in leading Lee to a 15-0 record and the USA Today High School National Championship as a junior ... had 198 yards rushing and five TDs in the 1999 State Championship win against Eisenhower ... ran for 2,026 yards and 30 TDs in leading Lee to a 15-1 record and a final national ranking of No. 10 as a sophomore ... ran for 237 yards and five TDs in the 1998 State Championship win against San Antonio MacArthur ... also was an outstanding centerfielder for the baseball squad ... hit .361 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in District 4-5A games as a senior ... drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round (370th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.
PERSONAL
Born 12/28/82 in Midland, Texas ... full name is Cedric Myron Benson ... a social work major ... was active in UT's community service program ... member of UT's Athletics Director's Academic Honor Roll in fall 2003 ... named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in fall 2003 ... served as a mentor at local elementary and middle schools ... a two-sport standout, who was selected in the 12th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers ... played minor league baseball with the Dodgers' rookie league club in Vero Beach, Fla., in the summers of 2002 and 2003.
CAREER STATISTICS
Rushing/Receiving
Year G/GS Rush-Yds YPC TD Long Rec-Yds YPC TD Long
2004 12/12 326-1,834 5.6 19 60/Ark 22-179 8.1 1 20/MU
2003 12/11 258-1,360 5.3 21 50/TAM 9-120 13.3 1 59t/Rice
2002 13/13 305-1,293 4.2 12 59t/ISU 21-119 5.7 0 33/LSU*
2001 12/7 +223-1,053+ 4.7 12+ 61/KU 17-203 11.9 1 60t/KU
Career 49/43 1,112-5,540 5.0 64 61/KU 69-621 9.0 3 60t/KU
High Games
Rushing attempts: 38 at Texas Tech (Sr.)
Rushing yards: 283 (on 35 carries) at Texas A&M (Jr.)
100-yard rushing games: 25 (35-283 at Texas A&M, Jr.; 28-213+ vs. Kansas, Fr.; 31-208 at North Carolina, So.; 30-199 vs. Iowa State, So.; 20-189 vs. Rice, Sr.; 29-188 at Arkansas, Sr.; 34-188 vs. Baylor, Sr.; 15-181 vs. North Texas, Sr.; 27-180 at Oklahoma State, Jr.; 28-174 vs. Nebraska, Jr.; 38-168 at Texas Tech, Sr.; 33-165 vs. Texas A&M, Sr.; 28-161 at Kansas, Sr.; 37-160 vs. Houston, So.; +31-157 at Missouri, Fr.; 28-150 vs. Missouri, Sr.; 24-142 vs. Texas Tech, Jr.; 32-141 at Colorado, Sr.; 23-141 at Oklahoma State, Sr.; 32-140 at Iowa State, Jr.; +31-131 at Oklahoma State, Fr.; 18-130 at Rice, Jr.; 27-117 vs. Oklahoma State, So.; 26-108 at Baylor, Fr.; 23-100 vs. Colorado, Fr.)
Consecutive 100-yard rushing games: 6, (Sr.)
Rushing TDs: 5, vs. Oklahoma State (Sr.)
Consecutive games with a rushing TD: 11, (Jr.-Sr.)
Receptions: 5, vs. Oklahoma State (Sr.)
Receiving yards: 68 yards (on two receptions) vs. Kansas (Fr.)
Receiving TDs: 1 at Arkansas (Sr.); at Rice (Jr.); vs. Kansas (Fr.)
Consecutive games with a reception: 7, (Fr.-So.)
All-purpose yards: 283 at Texas A&M (Jr.)
*Cotton Bowl | + UT freshman record
GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS
SENIOR
Opponent Att-Yds TD Long Rec-Yds TD Long
North Texas 15-181 2 38t 1-2 0 2
Arkansas 29-188 1 60 1-13 1 13t
Rice 20-189 1 58 0-0 0 --
Baylor 34-188 3 19 3-23 0 12
Oklahoma 23-92 0 22 3-33 0 17
Missouri 28-150 2 23 1-20 0 20
Texas Tech 38-168 1 20 0-0 0 --
Colorado 32-141 2 18 2-6 0 8
Oklahoma St. 23-141 5 23t 5-51 0 12
Kansas 28-161 1 42 3-18 0 12
Texas A&M 33-165 1 28 3-13 0 6
Rose Bowl:
Michigan 23-70 0 10 0-0 0 0
Totals 326-1,834 19 60 22-179 1 20
JUNIOR Opponent Att-Yds TD Long Rec-Yds TD Long New Mexico St. 12-40 0 11 0-0 0 -- Arkansas 13-27 0 8 1-2 0 2 Rice 18-130 2 20 1-59 1 59t Tulane 18-86 3 14 1-8 0 8 Kansas St. 17-54 0 7 2-16 0 8 Oklahoma 12-21 1 8 1-15 0 15 Iowa State 32-140 3 16 2-8 0 5 Baylor -- -- -- -- -- -- Nebraska 28-174 3 39 0-0 0 -- Oklahoma St. 27-180 1 22 0-0 0 -- Texas Tech 24-142 2 33 0-0 0 -- Texas A&M 35-283 4 50 0-0 0 -- Holiday Bowl: Washington St. 22-83 1 14 1-12 0 12 Totals 258-1,360 20 50 9-120 1 59t
SOPHOMORE Opponent Att-Yds TD Long Rec-Yds TD Long North Texas 18-49 1 14 4-22 0 11 North Carolina 31-208 1 39 1-8 0 8 Houston 37-160 1 15 4-33 0 22 Tulane 17-88 1 16 1-(-3) 0 0 Oklahoma St. 27-117 0 26 3-6 0 4 Oklahoma 22-54 0 9 1-6 0 6 Kansas St. 23-59 0 8 0-0 0 -- Iowa St. 30-199 2 59t 1-6 0 6 Nebraska 28-86 1 17 1-1 0 1 Baylor 22-64 1 10t 1-1 0 1 Texas Tech 21-75 1 18 2-10 0 9 Texas A&M 17-88 1 30t 0-0 0 0 Cotton Bowl: LSU 12-46 1 17 2-29 0 33 Totals 305-1,293 11 59t 19-119 0 33
FRESHMAN Opponent Att-Yds TD Long Rec-Yds TD Long New Mexico St. 15-64 1 16 1-17 0 17 North Carolina 9-27 1 7t 0-0 0 -- Houston 14-74 1 14 0-0 0 -- Texas Tech 6-21 0 8 0-0 0 -- Oklahoma 0-0 0 0 0-0 0 -- Oklahoma St. 31-131 0 13 1-(-1) 0 -- Colorado 23-100 2 14 3-59 0 40 Missouri 31-157 0 20 4-4 0 5 Baylor 26-108 2 13 4-33 0 15 Kansas 28-213 2 61 2-68 1 60t Texas A&M 27-79 2 24 0-0 0 0 Big 12 Championship Game: Colorado 13-79 1 24 2-23 0 15 Holiday Bowl: Washington -- -- -- -- -- -- Totals 223-1,053 12 61 17-203 1 60t
