Born January 5, 1964—Ben was a standout at Ider High School from 1978 to 1981 where he started at fullback and middle linebacker. As a fullback he averaged 4.8 yards per carry. At linebacker he averaged 20 tackles per game. He helped his team to a 22-9 record his last three years, going 10-1 his junior year. He was a member of Pat Dye’s first recruiting class. He attended four bowl games. He played in the Sugar Bowl in 1985, the Liberty Bowl in 1986 and the Cotton Bowl in 1987. He was the team’s fifth leading tackler. His top game was against Mississippi where he recorded 12 tackles.
