Snell, Stenberg Earn SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman Team Honors

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky freshmen Benny Snell Jr. and Logan Stenberg were named to the Southeastern Conference Coaches’ All-Freshman Team, it was announced by the league office on Thursday.

Snell, a true freshman running back from Westerville, Ohio, had a record-breaking season with the Wildcats, rushing for a freshman school-record 1,057 yards and 13 touchdowns. Snell formed part of a running back trio with Stanley “Boom” Williams and Jojo Kemp that powered the nation’s 16th-best rushing attack and has the Wildcats within striking distance heading into the TaxSlayer Bowl of setting new school single-season records for total rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns.

Snell, who did not have a rushing attempt until the third game of the season, had a UK-freshman record five 100-yard rushing games, including 192 at Missouri and 152 vs. Austin Peay. He burst onto the scene with 136 yards and four touchdowns on just 17 carries against New Mexico State and continued his stampede throughout the season.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pounder ranked eighth in the SEC in rushing yards per game, led the nation in rushing touchdowns by a freshman and ranks third nationally amongst freshmen in rushing yards. He was named SEC Freshman of the Week twice this season.

Stenberg, a 6-foot-6, 318-pound guard from Madison, Ala., saw his role increase as the season went along, joining the Wildcats’ second offensive line unit as part of a dominating rushing attack. This season the Cats’ running game ranks 16th nationally at 241.2 rushing yards per game, including 291.4 yards over the final six contests. Stenberg had 37 knockdown blocks, missed only one assignment and allowed just one quarterback pressure on the season.  

The Cats are averaging 5.52 yards per rushing attempt this season, on track to be a school record by more than a half-yard per attempt. Should the offense rush for at least 230 yards and two touchdowns in the TaxSlayer Bowl on Dec. 31 the unit will set new single-season school records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in a season.  All totaled, Kentucky has already broken or could break as many as 12 team and individual rushing records this season. 

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