USD Football 2004

15 Tareq Abdulghani enters hi s senior season with the Torero football squad where he will compete for playing time on the defen sive line and at snapper ... last year he was named to the Pioneer Football League Honor Roll for hi s academi c achievements ... he came to USD after starting his collegiate football career at Bucknell University where he participated in the Patriot League ... from Cincinnati, Ohio, he prepped at Summit Country Day School where he lettered in both football and wrestling . .. he chose USD for its excellent academics and to play football.

Meet The Toreros

Ashur Benjamin returns for his fifth year with the Toreros, and fourth season of competition ... he is expected to see playing time at the defensive tackle position ... last season appeared in all 10 games and finished with 17 tackles (6 solo) ... season-best 4

Tareq Abdulghani #79 SR DL

tackles against La Verne ... chipped in with 3 tackles twice (Azusa Pacific and Dayton) ... in 2002 he totaled 18 tackles with 8 solo stops ... totaled 7 tackles in last game of season versus Dayton ... in 2001 he tallied a solo tackle against Fairfield, then assisted on a quarterback sack (-9 yards) against Wagner ... prior to USD he prepped at Jesuit High School in Sacramento, CA ... hi s senior year was All-Metro League, and was also voted the MVP at the Holy Bowl ... junior year received the Athletic Director's Award and was Honorable Mention All-League ... chose USD for academics and athletics ... also recruited by Saint Mary's and Sacramento State ... is Assyrian and speaks the Aramaic language. Major: Industrial & Systems Engineering.

Ashur Benjamin #97 SR DL

Elijah Bonde enters hi s senior year with the Toreros where he will compete for playing time with the defen sive unit at linebacker .. . last year he totaled 9 tackles (4 solo) with 2

Y2 tackles for loss . .. he tallied 3 stops in win over Marist and added 2 tackles against Davidson and La Verne ... was named to the PFL Honor Roll for hi s academic achievements . .. from Fallon, Nevada, he prepped at Oak Ridge High School where he participated in four sports-football, wrestling, track and rugby ... his father,Matt, played co llegiate football at Western Montana. Major: Philosophy; Minor: English.

Elijah Bonde #43 SR LB

Baxter Box returns for hi s third competitive season with the Toreros where he is projected to compete for playing time in the backfield at running back ... he sat out the 2003 season

due to injury ... in 2002 he carried the ball nine times for 44 yards ... gained 35 yards with a long of 10 yards against La Verne ... caught3 balls for 18 yards against Yale ... was named tothePFLAcademicHonor Roll .. . also one of three Toreros to receive the Strength Coaches Award ... prior to USD he attended Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas ... he was a two-sport letterman in football and track ... hi s senior year he rushed for 1,200 yards and was a l st Team All-District selection ... during hi s junior year he rushed for 800 yards and was a 1st Team All-District pick and the Dallas area MVP ... hi s father, Bernay, played baseball at Baylor; his grandfather, Boyce, played basketball at North Carolina ... chose USD for academics, football and the beach ... also recruited by Princeton, Harvard and SMU. Major: Engineering; Minors: Mathematics & Spanish.

Baxter Box #4 SR RB

Michael Cuevas enters his senior yearafter sitting out lastyear due to injury and redshirting

duringthe2002 season ... willcompeteforplayingtimein the secondary .. .transferred toUSD in 2002afterplaying atMesaCommunityCollegewhereheeamedthe Coaches' Award ... preppedatFolsomHighSchool where heearned lstTeamAll-SierraValleyConferencehonors .. .thetwo-timeco-offensiveMVPwasalso2ndTeam-AllLeaguejunior year . .. also lettered in basketball and track . .. co-MVP and All-League in basketball senior year ...choseUSD for academic excellence and great football program ... also recruited by Redlands and Bethany. Major: Business Administration.

Daniel Howard returns for his fifth season with the Toreros, and fourth and final year of competition ... he is projected to start again at the position of defensive end ... last season he finished 14th on the team in tackles with 23 (5 solo) whi le chipping in with l quarterback

Michael Cuevas #24 SR DB

sack, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 pass breakup ... opened the season with 6 tackles against Azusa Pacific ... in 2002 he totaled 25 tackles ( 11 solo), good for 12th on the team ... totaled 8 tackles (3 for loss) against La Verne ... chipped in with 2 pass breakups and I blocked kick ... in 2001 final game of the season, he totaled six tackles against Wagner with three quarterback sacks (-21 yards) ... the three sacks tied a USD single-game record set back in 1989 by David Dunn ... prior to USD he prepped at Woodinville High School in the state of Washington ... senior year was team captain and 2nd Team All-King County at linebacker & tight end ... recorded 76 tackles and 2 interceptions ... also lettered in basketball .. . chose USD for quality education and football, as well as the great weather ... also recruited by Oregon State, Oregon and Whitworth. Major: Sociology; Minor: Accounting.

Daniel Howard #54 SR DL