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Kaufman Earns Trip to Senior Bowl

January 13, 1997

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech All-America offensive lineman Ben Kaufman has been selected to play in the 1997 Senior Bowl all-star football game, scheduled for Satuday, January 18 in Mobile, Ala.

Kaufman, a 6-5, 277-pound offensive tackle from Edinburg, Texas, started 36-straight games for the Red Raiders, including all 12 this season at left tackle. He was the only offensive lineman to start all 12 games at the same position for the Red Raiders this season and was instrumental in helping tailback Byron Hanspard rush for over 2,000 yards and win the Doak Walker Award.

A four-year letterman, Kaufman was one of only two true freshmen to make the travel squad in offensive line coach Ted Unbehagen's career. This past season, he was named a third-team All-America by the Associated Press and was a first-team all-Big 12 Conference selection by the Associated Press and the Dallas Morning News. League coaches voted Kaufman to the Big 12 second-team.

Texas Tech finished the season with a 7-5 record and played in the Builders Square Alamo Bowl. Kaufman is one of only a handful of seniors to have played in a school-record four-straight post-season bowl games for the Red Raiders.

Kaufman is the second Red Raider to be invited to play in a post-season all-star game. Offensive guard Casey Jones will play in the Hula Bowl, slated for Sunday, Jan. 19 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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