University of Kentucky senior Josh Allen has been named one of eight semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy which is presented to the college football defensive IMPACT player of the year. IMPACT is an acronym for: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity. The announcement was made tonight by the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation in Newport Beach, California.
Voting for the winner and finalists will take place in November and the 15th annual awards banquet will be held Dec. 9 at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach. The banquet will be streamed live with Joel Klatt of FOX serving as the master of ceremonies.
Allen, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound linebacker has been named the Lott Trophy Player of the Week three times, the first player to win the POW award three times since Manti Te’o of Notre Dame in 2012.
Allen has been a pass rush terror for opponents this season. With 27.5 career sacks and 13 sacks in 2018, he now holds UK’s career and single-season records. His 11 career forced fumbles tie former Wildcat and current Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan for UK’s career mark (forced fumbles stats available since 1988).
Eleven of his 13 sacks this year have been in the second half, three in the third quarter and eight in the fourth. UK has not allowed a point this season on all 13 opponent possessions that Allen has a sack.
Other interesting Allen notes:
• Current finalist for the Bednarik Award given to the nation’s top defensive player, the Butkus Award for the nation’s top linebacker and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as National Defensive Player of the Year
• Current semifinalist for the Walter Camp National Player of the Year
• Leads the SEC in sacks (13.0) and tackles for loss (17.5), ranking third and 11th nationally in those categories
• First-Team Mid-Season All-America by The Associated Press, ESPN.com, Pro Football Focus and The Athletic
• Four times SEC Defensive Player of the Week this season, including two wins he clinched with a sack, fumble, and UK recovery on the final possession
• Leads UK with 80 total tackles and has five QB hurries, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries this season
• Helped lead UK to its best regular-season record in 34 years and first winning SEC record in 41 years
The semifinalists:
Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky
Zach Allen, DL, Boston College
Ben Burr-Kirven, LB, Washington
Joe Dineen Jr., LB, Kansas
Chase Hansen, LB, Utah
Ben Humphreys, LB, Duke
Jordan Kunaszyk, LB, Cal
Christian Wilkins, DL, Clemson
The university of the winner will receive $25,000 for the school’s general scholarship fund with each of the other three finalists getting $5,000 for their school.
For more information on the Kentucky football team, follow @UKFootball on Twitter and Instagram, or like Kentucky Football on Facebook.
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For more information contact:
Susan Lax