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At Stanford: Will start at defensive end for the third consecutive season...Has started 22 of the last 23 games dating back to the '98 season...Great work ethic...Continues to impress and assert himself as a quality lineman...A "blue-collar" player...Fifth-year senior.
The 1999 Season: Started all 12 games at left defensive end...Had 19 tackles, including three tackles-for-loss (26 yards) and two quarterback sacks (21 yards)...Had three tackles in a game on three different occasions (Washington, California, Notre Dame)...Recorded sacks at Arizona and at Washington...Also had a tackle-for-loss vs. California.
The 1998 Season: Starting defensive end in 10 of 11 games...Missed The Big Game vs. Cal due to injury...Finished the year with 22 total tackles, four tackles-for-loss and one quarterback sack...His sack came against Arizona State...Had a season-high three tackles each in five games.
The 1997 Season: A reserve defensive lineman.
The 1996 Season: Redshirted the '96 season.
In High School: A High School All-America defensive lineman from St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, Calif....Sam played both offensive and defensive line in high school and was rated as one of the top linemen in the country...Blue Chip Report named him an All-America defensive lineman as well as the 11th best prospect in the West...He recorded 64 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss and four forced fumbles as a senior...An All-Farwest selection by SuperPrep...Named to the Western 100 by the Tacoma News Tribune...Tri-Valley League and Ventura County Lineman of the Year in 1995...Named to the CIF Southern Section Super Team...Los Angeles Times All-Ventura County...Selected First-Team All-State in the small schools division and Second-Team All-State among all schools as an offensive lineman...Three-time First-Team All-Tri-Valley League and All-Ventura County as an offensive lineman...Also played basketball for two seasons...Named Honorable Mention All-League in basketball as a senior.
Personal Information: Communication major.
Benner's Career Statistics
| Year | UT | AT | TT | Sack/Yds | TFL/Yds | Int |
| 1998 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 1/9 | 4/18 | 0 |
| 1999 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 2/21 | 3/26 | 0 |
| Totals | 21 | 20 | 41 | 3/30 | 7/44 | 0 |