The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Benson to focus solely on football
03.05.2004 | Football
AUSTIN, Texas -- University of Texas senior running back Cedric Benson, the nation's top returning rusher with 3,706 yards (No. 3 on UT's all-time list) and 45 TDs (No. 2 on UT's all-time list) in 37 career games, announced on Friday that he has decided to give up his professional baseball career to concentrate exclusively on football. A 12th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001, Benson played minor league baseball the past two years. Benson's scholarship was paid for by the Dodgers his first three years, but now will be covered by UT.
"I decided to come back for my senior year because we have a lot of goals that our team wants to accomplish this season," Benson said. "I want to put everything into preparing myself for my final football season, not only for myself, but for my teammates, the coaches, fans and The University of Texas. I want 2004 to be my best year ever and that's why I've decided to give up baseball and concentrate solely on football. I still believe I could be successful in baseball, but my heart is pushing me towards football."
A consensus first-team All-Big 12 selection and Texas' co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, Benson rushed for 1,360 yards (No. 5 on the UT season list) and 21 TDs (no. 3 on the UT season list) on the season. He is the nation's only back that has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the last three seasons. He rushed for 1,002 yards (167.0 ypg) and 14 TDs in the final six games of 2003.
"Cedric already has a place among the best running back in Texas history and he is really working hard to build on that," said Longhorn head coach Mack Brown. "We talked about his giving up baseball and concentrating solely on football and I told him I was supportive of any decision he made. He's always known that there was a standing offer that if he wasn't playing baseball, we had a scholarship available for him. So, when he asked about that, that was an easy decision."
