Dec. 11, 2002
Four Wildcats Mentioned on CNN/SI All-America Team: Four Wildcats were included on the CNN/SI All-America team, including first-team kick returner Derek Abney, along with three honorable mention choices, offensive tackle Antonio Hall, punter Glenn Pakulak, and running back Artose Pinner. For more information on the team, go to CNNSI.com.
Derek Abney returned six kicks for touchdowns this season and broke or tied four NCAA records, six Southeastern Conference records, and 10 school records for kick returns. He averaged 15.1 yards per punt return, including four touchdowns (at Florida, at Arkansas, two at Mississippi State). He averaged 26.8 yards on kickoff returns with touchdowns at Florida and vs. Vanderbilt. He became only the seventh player in NCAA history to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same game when he did it against Florida in “The Swamp.” He is the only player who ranks in the nation’s top 11 in punt returns, kickoff returns, and all-purpose yardage.
In addition, Abney is a quality wide receiver. He caught 40 passes for 569 yards and four touchdowns this season and ranks third in school history in pass receptions and pass receiving yardage.
Abney also has been chosen first-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America and CBSSportsLine.com. Abney is the first Wildcat to earn first-team All-America honors as a return specialist.
Antonio Hall was the cornerstone of the offensive line that helped Kentucky score 32.1 points per game, which ranked second in the league. He blocked for the SEC’s leading rusher, Artose Pinner. Stationed at right tackle, he is the blindside protector for the left-handed Lorenzen. Hall had 74 knockdown blocks this season, including a season-high 14 against Louisiana State.
Also highly dedicated to community service, he was one of only 11 Division I-A players selected to the AFCA National Good Works Team.
Glenn Pakulak is the top punter in Kentucky history. He broke the single-season school record with a 45.6-yard average. He leads the Southeastern Conference and is third in the nation in punting average. He also broke the UK career record with a 44.4-yard average.
Pakulak demonstrated remarkable accuracy during the season. Almost half of his punts, 31 of 66, landed inside the 20-yard line without going into the end zone. A total of 14 punts landed inside the 10-yard line without going into the end zone and he had just nine touchbacks during the season.
As a team, Kentucky set a school season record with a 40.1-yard net punting average. UK’s net average leads the SEC and ranks third nationally.
Pakulak already has been named first-team All-America by CBSSportsLine.com and fourth-team All-America by The Sporting News. He is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the nation’s top punter, and for the Mosi Tatupu Award for the nation’s best senior special teams performer. The Guy Award will be announced during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show that will be televised live on ESPN Dec. 12. The Tatupu Award will be named on Dec. 13. (Note to electronic media: Mosi Tatupu is pronounced “MO-see tah-TOO-poo.”)
Artose Pinner led the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 1,414 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught 37 passes for 264 yards and two TDs. He topped the 100-yard mark a school-record eight times during the season. Pinner was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s best running back and was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year by CollegeFootballNews.com and The Associated Press.
Abney, Pakulak to be on Home Depot College Football Awards Show: They took different paths to get there, but Kentucky’s Derek Abney and Glenn Pakulak share a common destination Thursday as they appear on the Home Depot College Football Awards Show that will be televised on ESPN.
Four years ago, Pakulak was on a partial scholarship to play basketball and baseball at Rochester College in Rochester Hills, Mich. Football was in his blood, however, and he transferred to Kentucky and walked-on the football team as a punter. He earned the starting job in the 2001 season, and a scant one year later he not only had earned a scholarship, but became the No. 1 punter in Kentucky history and was named first-team All-America. He will be on the awards show as a finalist for the Ray Guy Award which goes to the nation’s top punter.
As opposed to Pakulak, who went from shadows of obscurity to spotlight of stardom, Abney always has been a player of prominence. He was the Wisconsin Player of the Year when he returned 17 kickoffs and punts for touchdowns as a high schooler and never stopped running when he came to Kentucky. He returned six kicks (four punts, two kickoffs) for touchdowns this season, and in the process broke or tied four NCAA records, six Southeastern Conference records, and 10 school records. Abney will appear on the show to receive an honor that has not yet been announced.
The Home Depot College Football Awards Show will be televised Thursday from 7-9 p.m. on ESPN. (For more statistical information on Abney and Pakulak, see the story above.)
Seven Wildcats on The Associated Press All-SEC Squad: Seven Wildcats were named to The Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference teams, including running back Artose Pinner as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Kentucky’s first-team All-SEC selections by AP include Pinner, punter Glenn Pakulak, and Derek Abney as an all-purpose player. Wildcat second-team All-SEC picks are offensive tackle Antonio Hall, quarterback Jared Lorenzen, defensive end Vincent “Sweet Pea” Burns, and defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson.
Statistical information on Abney, Hall, Pakulak, and Pinner are listed above. Here is the information on the other three players.
Vincent “Sweet Pea” Burns scorched the opposition by making 66 tackles this season, tops among UK defensive linemen. He ranked third in the SEC with 14.5 tackles for loss (-51 yards) and had three quarterback sacks (-22), nine QB hurries, two pass breakups, two fumbles caused, two fumbles recovered, and one of his sacks scored a safety. He finished the season strong with at least one tackle for loss in each of the last six games.
Jared Lorenzen matured greatly as a field general this season, leading the Wildcats to a 7-5 record, only the seventh time since 1954 that UK has won seven or more games. He completed 183 of 327 passes for 2,267 yards. Most impressive was his ratio of 24 touchdown passes against only five interceptions. He attempted 152 consecutive passes without an interception, a school record and the eighth-longest streak in SEC history. Kentucky generated 32.1 points per game, ranking second in the league in scoring. He also was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
Dewayne Robertson anchored the Wildcat defensive line this season, drawing frequent double-teaming. He had five quarterback sacks, leading the SEC’s defensive tackles in that category. His season totals featured 48 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss (-49 yards), five sacks (-40), 13 quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and one blocked kick. He has accounted for 113 yards of opponent losses during his career. On Tuesday, Robertson announced his intention to forego his final season of eligibility and declare for the NFL draft.
– UK –
