Senior wide receiver/kick returner Derek Abney, senior offensive tackle Antonio Hall, junior defensive end Vincent ?Sweet Pea? Burns, and sophomore free safety Muhammad Abdullah have been named to the 2003 All-Southeastern Conference teams selected by The Associated Press and SEC Coaches.
Abney was named first-team All-SEC by the AP and SEC Coaches as an all-purpose player/kick returner. The versatile Abney leads the SEC in all-purpose yardage with an average of 151.8 yards per game. He led the Wildcats in receiving with 51 catches for 616 yards and five touchdowns; averaged 9.8 yards on punt returns, including one touchdown; leads the SEC with a 24.1-yard kickoff return average; and had 11 rushes for 148 yards, an average of 13.5 yards per carry.
Abney finished his career with five NCAA records, 11 SEC records, and 14 school records for kick returns and all-purpose yardage. He became the only player in NCAA history to reach 2,000 receiving yards, 2,000 kickoff return yards, and 1,000 punt return yards in a career.
Abney was named first-team All-SEC by the AP for the third-consecutive season, the fifth player in school history and the first Wildcat in 27 years to accomplish that feat. Additional Wildcats who have been named first-team All-SEC in three consecutive seasons are end Steve Meilinger (1951-53), end Tom Hutchinson (1960-62), running back Sonny Collins (1973-75), and offensive tackle Warren Bryant (1974-76).
Hall was chosen first-team All-SEC by the AP and the SEC Coaches. He showed his toughness by playing all season with a nagging hip injury, protecting the blind side of left-handed quarterback Jared Lorenzen. He totaled 68 knockdown blocks during the season. Hall also was a first-team All-SEC pick in 2002 by the SEC Coaches and a second-team selection by the AP last year.
Burns was a second-team all-league selection by the AP for the second-consecutive season. He leads the SEC with 18 tackles for loss. He totaled 72 tackles, most by a UK defensive lineman since noseguard Joey Couch in 1991. Burns also had 2.5 quarterback sacks, one fumble caused, one fumble recovery, one safety, and a team-high 10 quarterback hurries.
Abdullah was tabbed second-team All-SEC by the league coaches. He led all SEC free safeties in interceptions with four pickoffs. He totaled 64 tackles, added a fumble recovery, and was second on the team in pass breakups with five.
