Three More All-America Teams Feature Wildcats
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky senior linebacker Josh Allen, senior offensive guard Jervontius “Bunchy” Stallings and junior running back Benny Snell, Jr. continue to add to their stack of All-America honors with selections announced by USA Today, the American Football Coaches Association and CBS.
Allen is first-team All-America by all three organizations. Snell is a second-team All-American by USA Today and AFCA. Stallings is a second-team pick by USA Today.
The Kentucky honorees mark significant milestones in UK football history. It is the first time that UK has had an AFCA All-American since defensive end Art Still in 1977 and the first time that UK has two on the AFCA squad. It is UK’s first CBS honoree since wide receiver/kick returner Derek Abney and punter Glenn Pakulak in 2002.
Allen’s honors add to a growing list of national accolades for the senior from Montclair, N.J.
- Bronko Nagurski Award, National Defensive Player of the Year
- Chuck Bednarik Award, National Defensive Player of the Year
- Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy, National Defensive Player of the Year
- First-Team All-America by Walter Camp Football Foundation, Sports Illustrated, TheAthletic.com, ESPN, Associated Press, College Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News, USA Today, CBS, American Football Coaches Association
Allen has been a pass rush terror this season. With 28.5 career sacks and 14 sacks in 2018, he now holds UK’s career and single-season records. His 11 career forced fumbles tie former Wildcats and current Chicago Bear Danny Trevathan for UK’s career mark (forced fumbles stats available since 1988). He leads the team with 84 tackles and paces the SEC in sacks, tackles for loss (18.5) and forced fumbles (5). He is among the NCAA leaders in sacks, TFL and forced fumbles. Twelve of his 14 sacks have come in the second half of games, including eight in the fourth quarter. In five of UK’s wins this season, Allen had a sack in the fourth quarter that was crucial to the Wildcat victory, including two sack/fumble/UK recoveries on the opponent’s final possession of one-score games.
These are the fourth and fifth All-America recognitions for Snell, the junior from Westerville, Ohio. His 1,305 rushing yards and 14 TDs are among the national leaders in both categories. He joined Herschel Walker as the only two players in SEC history to rush for at least 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. He continued his onslaught on the UK record books this season and has broken or tied 13 school records during his career. He needs 107 yards in the VRBO Citrus Bowl to become the Wildcats’ all-time leading rusher. Here are his national honors:
- Second-Team All-America by Walter Camp Football Foundation, College Football News, USA Today, American Football Coaches Association
- Third-Team All-America by Associated Press
The award for Stallings, a senior from McComb, Miss., is his fourth national honor. Stallings was responsible for only one-half quarterback sack all year. He totaled 170 blocks at the point of attack and had 55 knockdown blocks. His blocking efficiency helped Snell reach his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. His All-America list includes:
- First-Team All-America by Associated Press, The Athletic
- Second-Team All-America by Sports Illustrated, USA Today
The trio has helped lead Kentucky to a 9-3 record, UK’s best regular-season record in 41 years, and UK’s 5-3 SEC record is the team’s first winning league mark in 41 years. The Wildcats conclude the season Jan. 1 vs. Penn State in the VRBO Citrus Bowl.
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