Dec. 8, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Linebacker Danny Trevathan and punter Ryan Tydlacka have received All-Southeastern Conference recognition by Rivals.com. Trevathan is a first-team All-SEC selection while Tydlacka is a second-team pick.
Trevathan, a senior from Leesburg, Fla., made an impressive 143 tackles during the season for the Wildcats, leading the SEC in tackles for the second-consecutive season. Trevathan ranked fifth in the nation in tackles with an 11.92 average per game and led the nation’s linebackers in interceptions and fumbles forced. The senior finished the season with 11.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, four interceptions, five pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and five fumbles forced. This is the second consecutive year Trevathan has been honored as an All-SEC performer by league coaches after being named first-team All-SEC last season.
Trevathan ends his UK career ranked 10th all-time on Kentucky’s career tackle list with a total of 374 stops. Trevathan had a total of 20 games with double-figure tackles in his career, including a career-high 17 tackles in 2010 against Auburn, the eventual national champion, and also against Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Georgia.
In addition to Rivals, Trevathan has received first-team All-SEC from The Associated Press.
Tydlacka, a senior from Louisville, Ky., ranked second in the SEC by averaging 43.6 yards per punt. His outstanding hangtime and punt placement helped UK rank second in the league in net punting with 39.6 net yards per punt.
Tydlacka had 20 punts of at least 50 yards, leading the SEC in that category, and he also placed 19 punts within the 20-yard line.
Tydlacka was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week in his final game as a Wildcat, the 10-7 win over Tennessee. With field position at a premium for that game, Tydlacka kept the Tennessee backed up all day long, as the Volunteers did not begin a drive outside their 30-yard line the entire game. He punted nine times that day for a 43.6-yard average and his placement and hangtime did not allow UT to return a punt.
Smith Named to Freshman All-SEC Team: Quarterback Maxwell Smith has been named Freshman All-Southeastern Conference by a pair of selectors, SEC Coaches and Rivals.com
A true freshman from Granada Hills, Calif., Smith played in eight games, including three starts when Morgan Newton was sidelined by injury. Smith finished the season completing 84-of-153 passes (54.9 percent) for 819 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. Smith also completed the longest pass play of the season for the Wildcats when he connected with junior La’Rod King on a 55-yard strike.
Smith’s best game of the season came in Kentucky’s 30-13 win against Ole Miss, when he completed 19-of-36 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns. His 283 passing yards set a single-game school record for a true freshman (non-redshirt) quarterback. The old record was 208 passing yards by Larry McCrimmon vs. Florida in 1978.
Smith led the Wildcats to 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as UK rallied from a 13-10 deficit at the end of three periods. It marked the 14th time since 2006 that UK has come from behind to win in the fourth quarter
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