Courtesy UK Athletics
Kentucky senior linebacker Josh Allen has been named first-team All-America as announced Tuesday by Sporting News.
Allen’s honors add to a growing list of 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
· SEC Defensive Player of the Year by AP, Coaches
· First-Team All-SEC by AP, Coaches
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 Wildcat 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 also ranks 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 nine wins this season, Allen had a sack in the fourth quarter that was crucial to the Wildcat victory.
Allen 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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Susan Lax