Jones, Snell Earn SEC Player of the Week Honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kentucky junior linebacker Jordan Jones and sophomore running back Benny Snell Jr. earned Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors it was announced by the league on Monday. Jones was named Co-Defensive Player of the Week, while Snell was named Co-Offensive Player of the Week.

In just his second game back after missing four contests with an injury Jones turned in a game-high 13 tackles in the Wildcats’ thrilling 29-26 victory over Tennessee at Kroger Field. He added a pair of tackles for loss and a sack, which was part of a possession where the energetic linebacker recorded all three tackles to force a three-and-out. It was his fifth career game of at least 10 tackles.

Kentucky’s defense bent but didn’t break throughout the win, holding the Volunteers to just nine points after fumbles allowed Tennessee to start four possessions in UK territory. It also forced a punt to set up the offense’s game-winning touchdown drive and then held on the Vols’ final possession to secure the victory.

In four games this season, the 6-foot-2, 221-pounder from Youngstown, Ohio has 33 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one forced fumble. Jones is the SEC’s leading returning tackler from 2016 with 109 total tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss.

Snell rushed 27 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns – season highs in all categories – in the win over Tennessee. It marked his fourth 100-yard game of the season and ninth of his career. His three touchdowns were each set up by his own long runs of 27, 48 and 23 yards. He also caught a two-point conversion pass. The 180 rushing yards are the most ever by a UK player against Tennessee.

Only a sophomore, the 5-11, 233-pound running back from Westerville, Ohio, broke into UK’s all-time top-10 rushing list with 1,812 career yards.

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