Dec. 5, 2002
Honors continue to pour in for Kentucky as Derek Abney and Glenn Pakulak are chosen first-team All-America by CBS SportsLine and CollegeFootballNews.com has tabbed Artose Pinner as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Pakulak, Abney Named First-Team All-America: Punter Glenn Pakulak and kick returner Derek Abney have been named first-team All-America by CBS SportsLine.
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 40.1 net average leads the SEC and ranks third nationally.
Pakulak 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 Dec. 12. The Tatupu Award will be named on Dec. 13.
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.
Abney also 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.
In addition to CBS SportsLine, Abney also has been chosen first-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America. Abney is the first Wildcat to earn first-team All-America honors as a return specialist.
The last time Kentucky had two first-team All-Americans in the same year was 1974 when center Rick Nuzum and tight end Elmore Stephens were picked.
Pinner the SEC Offensive Player of the Year: Running back Artose Pinner is the SEC Offensive Player of the Year as chosen by CollegeFootballNews.com.
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. He was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best running back.
Pinner, punter Glenn Pakulak, and kick returner Derek Abney were named first-team All-SEC by the Website.
Kentucky Rates as “Biggest Surprise” of the SEC: In addition to honoring three Wildcats, CollegeFootballNews.com called Kentucky the “Biggest Surprise” of the 2002 Southeastern Conference season.
The Website reads, “Biggest Surprise: Kentucky. With no bowl options and little upgrade in overall talent, it was supposed to be good old pushover Kentucky again. Not quite. The Wildcats pulled off a shocker at Arkansas and gave LSU and Florida all they could handle. With plenty of talent returning, the stage is set for a solid 2003.”
Back at It: The Kentucky football team got back to work on Monday as the Wildcats returned to the weight room. The team will be working out three times each week during the remaining three weeks of the fall semester. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has returned to the recruiting trail.
Still the One: Former Wildcat All-America defensive end Art Still will represent Kentucky at the annual “Living Legends of SEC Football” dinner, to be held Friday, Dec. 6, in Atlanta, Ga., as part of SEC Football Championship Game activities. Still is one of 12 “Living Legends” who will be honored at the dinner and introduced at the SEC Championship Game. There is one legend from each league school.
Still was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior in 1977, when he had 98 tackles, including 22 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He lettered at UK from 1974-77 and was first-team All-SEC his last two years. He also was chosen the league’s Most Outstanding Player by the Birmingham (Ala.) Touchdown Club and the Columbus (Ga.) Touchdown Club in 1977. He finished his collegiate career with 327 tackles.
A first-round draft choice by the Kansas City Chiefs, Still went on to a 12-year National Football League career with the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. Currently, Still operates a business in Olathe, Kan. He returned to visit Lexington during the weekend of the Vanderbilt game and was introduced to the crowd.
Kentucky Football Calendar
Wed. Dec. 18 – Junior college signing period begins
Wed. Feb. 5 – High school signing period begins
Mon. March 31 – Spring practice begins
Sat. Apr. 26 – Blue/White Spring Football Game
July 29-31 – SEC Football Media Days; Kentucky appearance is Tue. July 29
Sat. Aug. 30 – Louisville at Kentucky
