Spencer Benton

Served as the primary punter, handled most of the kickoffs, and served as the field-goal kicker on long attempts in 2012 … had 50 career punts for a 38.9-yard average in 50 games (14 starts) in his career … was 2-4 on field goals and 5-9 on extra points for 11 points … had 54 touchbacks and 47 other kickoffs that reached the goal line on 275 kickoffs in his career; the opponent failed to advance past the 20 on 89 of the 275 kickoffs … Clemson’s career leader in tackles by a kicker (29); no kicker had more than four in a season prior to 2009 … two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member.      2012: Raycom College Football All-Star Classic invitee … had a 39.2-yard average on 48 punts along with 15 punts inside the 20, five punts of 50+ yards, and a 36.7-yard net average in 13 games (13 starts) … had 70 kickoffs, including 32 touchbacks and 13 other kickoffs that reached the goal line … had eight special teams tackles, tied for third-most on the team … had a 43.0-yard average on two punts (both inside the 20) and made a 61-yard field goal from the right hashmark as time expired in the second quarter against Ball State on Sept. 8; it set an ACC and a Clemson record for the longest field goal; named national specialist-of-the-week by CFPA; named ACC Specialist-of-the-Week; named team special teams player-of-the-game … had a 50.0-yard average on three punts against Furman on Sept. 15 … had a 41.0-yard average on seven punts, three of his four kickoffs resulted in the opponent starting inside the 21, and two special teams tackles at #4 Florida State on Sept. 22 … had a 49-yard punt and nine kickoffs, six of which went for touchbacks and the other three resulted in the opponent starting inside its own 21, against Georgia Tech on Oct. 6 … had a 41.5-yard average on two punts against Maryland on Nov. 10 … had a 41.6-yard average on five punts against #12 South Carolina on Nov. 24; named team special teams player-of-the-game … had a 43.3-yard average on six punts and two punts of 50 yards against #7 Louisiana State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31.      2011: Had 54 kickoffs in 10 games … had 12 touchbacks and 10 other kickoffs that reached the goal line … had 54 kickoffs and opponents failed to advance past the 20 on 23 kickoffs … had two punts for a 33.0-yard average … had six special teams tackles, all on kickoff coverage … had three touchbacks and three other kickoffs that reached the endzone among his nine kickoffs against Troy on Sept. 3; he also had two tackles … had two touchbacks and two other kickoffs that reached the endzone among his seven kickoffs against #19 Auburn on Sept. 17 … had three touchbacks and another kickoff that reached the endzone among his six kickoffs against #11 Florida State on Sept. 24; came off the bench for an injured Dawson Zimmerman and had two punts for a 33.0-yard average, including a punt inside the 20; added a special teams tackle; named team special teams player-of-the-game … suffered a shoulder injury at #10 Virginia Tech on Oct. 1 and missed the next four games … had one tackle and a caused fumble on four kickoffs against Wake Forest on Nov. 12.      2010: ACC Academic Honor Roll member … had six special teams tackles, all on kickoff coverage … kicked an extra point against Presbyterian College … had 64 kickoffs and opponents failed to get past the 20 on 19 kickoffs … a big reason Clemson had a 4.4-yard advantage on the ending spot of kickoff returns; the opponents’ average start was the 25 … had three touchbacks and 12 other kickoffs that reached the goal line.      2009: ACC Academic Honor Roll member … handled kickoff duties for the Tigers … had seven touchbacks and 12 others that reached the goal line in 87 kickoffs as a first-year performer … handled every kickoff for the Tigers in 2009, more than any other kicker in Clemson history … held opponents inside the 21-yard line on kickoffs 31 times over the course of the season, 36 percent of his attempts … starting placekicker in one game, the win at N.C. State … scored six points in that game, he made one field goal in one attempt and was 3-5 on extra points … had seven points for the season … his only field goal attempt was made from 28 yards in Raleigh … a big reason Clemson was third in the ACC in kickoff coverage … had nine special teams tackles on kickoff coverage, not only a single-season record, but the career record; the previous career mark was seven by Mark Buchholz and the season record was just four.      2008: Red-shirted … enrolled in January.      Before Clemson: Enrolled at Clemson in January of 2008 following his high school graduation in December of 2007 … #16 placekicker in the nation by Rivals.com … #25 prospect in South Carolina by SuperPrep … converted 22-37 field goals and 99-113 extra points in three years at Myrtle Beach High School, with a career-long of 49 yards … also a punter and wide receiver … had 410 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a senior … two-time all-region and all-state selection … two-time “Toast of the Coast” selection … WPDE All-Zone team selection … WBTW All-Blitz team member … Shrine Bowl selection … coached by Scott Earley … recruited by Dabo Swinney … chose Clemson over Duke, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, South Carolina, and Virginia.      Personal: Graduated on Dec. 20, 2012 with a degree in sociology … born Dec. 20, 1989.