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Career: Four-year letter-winner at Stanford from 1999-2002 ... Started the final 16 games of his career at free safety, including the final five games of the 2001 season and all 11 in 2002 ... Also a valuable member of the Cardinal's special teams for four seasons ... Named Team Captain as a senior in '02 ...Concluded his career with 103 tackles and three interceptions.
The 2002 Season: Started all 11 games at free safety ... Finished second on the team with 69 total tackles ... Also recorded two interceptions ... Named honorable mention All-Pac-10 ... Voted by his teammates as one of three team captains ...
The 2001 Season: Backup strong safety the first seven games of the season, but a starter the final five when starter Simba Hodari was lost due to injury ... Branch played well and continued to grow in his starting role during the last five games of the year, including the 2001 Seattle Bowl ... Finished the year with 28 total tackles during the regular season, including three tackles-for-loss, and one interception ... In his four starts (Arizona, California, Notre Dame and San Jose State), he recorded 15 tackles and one interception in The Big Game vs. Cal ... Career-best six tackles in the season opener vs. Boston College in a reserve role and the season finale vs. San Jose State in a starting role.
The 2000 Season: Earned his second varsity letter as a reserve defensive back and special teams player ... Had four total tackles, including a nine-yard tackle-for-loss vs. Arizona State ... Played in 10 of 11 games.
The 1999 Season: Played a reserve role at strong safety ... Also a special teams player ... Recorded two tackles ... Received his first varsity letter.
The 1998 Season: Redshirted the season as a true freshman.
In High School: First-Team All-American by PrepStar, who also rated him the third best defensive back in the Western Region following his senior season ... Named to SuperPrep's All-Farwest Team ... Started at strong safety and running back his junior and senior seasons at Carlsbad High School ... As a senior, he rushed for over 700 yards, caught 24 passes for over 300 yards and scored 15 touchdowns ... He also had 60 tackles and four interceptions ... Selected to the Long Beach Press Telegram's "Best of the Rest" ... Named First-Team All-Avocado League as a defensive back and First-Team All-San Diego County as a utility player ... First-Team Academic All-County ... As a junior, he was selected Second-Team All-League and All-County as a defensive back ... He accounted for 55 tackles and two interceptions while rushing for over 750 yards and eight TDs ... Played baseball for three years.
Personal Information: Public policy major ... Brother, Calvin Branch, played professional football in the NFL and the World Football League.
Branch's Career Statistics
YearUTATTTSack/YdsTFL/YdsInt
19991120/00/00
20002240/01/90
2001199280/03/71
20024623690/00/02
Totals68351030/04/163