Bernard Named ?Mr. Wildcat?: Senior wide receiver Chris Bernard has been named ?Mr. Wildcat? ? Kentucky?s overall champion of strength, speed, and power ? for the 2003 football season.
Bernard?s hard work and superior performance in the weight room paid off on the field. In the 2003 season, Bernard caught 33 passes for 532 yards, 16.1 yards per catch, and five touchdowns. He led the team in yards per reception and tied Derek Abney for the team lead in touchdown catches.
Bernard is the first wide receiver to be named ?Mr. Wildcat? in the 22-year history of the award.
Abney, Hall, and Burns Tabbed All-SEC by Birmingham News: Wide receiver/kick returner Derek Abney, offensive tackle Antonio Hall, and defensive end Vincent ?Sweet Pea? Burns have been named to the All-Southeastern Conference team selected by the Birmingham News. Abney and Hall are first-team selections and Burns is a second-team pick.
The versatile Abney led the SEC in all-purpose yardage with an average of 151.8 yards per game and in kickoff returns with a 24.1-yard average. 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; 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 also was named first-team All-SEC by The Associated Press, SEC Coaches, and Southeastern Football Saturdays magazine.
Hall showed his toughness in the 2003 season by playing with a nagging hip injury, protecting the blind side of lefthanded quarterback Jared Lorenzen. He totaled 68 knockdown blocks during the season. His blocking helped the Wildcats average 27.1 points per game, the second-highest scoring average for a new coaching staff in Kentucky history.
Hall also has been named first-team All-SEC by The Associated Press and SEC Coaches.
Burns led 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.
Burns has been picked first-team All-SEC by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Southeastern Football Saturdays, Mobile Press-Register, and CollegeFootballNews.com, and second-team All-SEC by The Associated Press.
