University of Tennessee Athletics
Six Vols Garner AP All-SEC Honors
December 14, 2015 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee's Derek Barnett, Evan Berry, Jalen Hurd, Kyler Kerbyson, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Dylan Wiesman were named Associated Press Second Team All-SEC on Monday.
The last time Tennessee had six AP All-SEC honorees was in 2007 when the Vols had nine (two first team, seven second team).
All six Vols have played major roles in shaping Tennessee's first eight-win season since 2007. Tennessee posted an 8-4 regular-season record and the Vols will play No. 12 Northwestern in the 2016 Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Barnett has built off of a strong 2014 Freshman All-American campaign with an impressive sophomore season and earned All-SEC Coaches' Second Team honors for a second-straight year. He has compiled 61 tackles (38 solo), 9.0 sacks, one forced fumble, seven quarterback hurries, one safety and one pass breakup this year. His nine sacks rank fourth in the SEC and are the most by a Vol this year. Barnett also ranks third on the team in tackles and second in tackles for a loss (11.5). He has 19 career sacks in just two seasons to rank ninth in Tennessee history. Barnett enjoyed a five-game sack streak from Oct. 10 to Nov. 14. In October, he was named to the Ted Hendricks Award Midseason Watch List.
Berry was previously named a Walter Camp First Team All-American, a Sports Illustrated First Team All-American, an AutoNation Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Second Team All-Americana, a CBS Sports Second Team All-American and a FOX Sports Second Team All-American. On Dec. 9, he became the first Vol to earn SEC Special Teams Player of the Year and also earned First Team All-SEC honors. Berry leads the nation with a 38.3 kickoff return average and is one just four players in the nation with three kickoff return touchdowns this season. His three kickoff returns for a touchdown tied the UT single-season record set by Willie Gault in 1980. Berry's total of 804 overall return yards (both kickoff and punt return yards) ranks as the fourth-most in a season in Tennessee history. His 34.8 career kickoff return average is also a new Tennessee record.
Hurd previously earned All-SEC Coaches' Second Team honors last week, becoming the first UT running back to garner All-SEC accolades sin Montario Hardesty in 2009. Hurd's 1,158 rushing yards on the season (fourth-most in the SEC) ranks as the 12th most by a Vol in a single season and marks the 18th 1,000-rushing yard season in UT history. His 11 rushing touchdowns rank fifth in the SEC and 253 carries on the year are tied for the fourth-most by a Vol in a season. Hurd currently ranks 15th in Tennessee history with 2,057 career rushing yards. Five of Hurd's eight career 100-yard rushing games have come this season, including three in SEC play (102 at Florida, 151 at Missouri, 120 vs. Vanderbilt). He has also been a reliable receiver out of the backfield with 21 catches for 190 yards and two scores.
Kerbyson was named to the ESPN.com All-SEC Team last week. He was twice named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week this year (Sept. 7 and Nov. 30), becoming the first Vol since Rob Smith in 2014 to earn the honors twice in a season. On the season, Tennessee has 2,682 rushing yards, the Vols' most since 1989. It is the Vols' most rushing yards since 1989. Kerbyson is a team leader and the most-experienced offensive lineman on a Tennessee unit that has produced eight games with 200-plus rushing yards, including two 300-plus games (Bowling Green, Vanderbilt). He has played in 44 games in his career and his 25-game starting streak is the longest of any current Vol on offense and the second-longest on the team (Cameron Sutton has 37-straight starts). Kerbyson has played at several different positions on the offensive line in his career with 22 starts at left tackle, two at right tackle and one at left guard. All 12 of his starts this year have been at left tackle.
Reeves-Maybin has been a key leader on the Tennessee defense both on and off the field. He leads the Vols with 99 tackles, 62 solo tackles and 13.0 tackles for a loss and two fumble recoveries and she is tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles. Reeves-Maybin also has 5.0 sacks and four pass break-ups. His 99 tackles rank eighth in the SEC and his 62 solo stops rank sixth. His 13.0 tackles for a loss are the seventh-most in the league. He recorded a career-high 21 tackles on Sept. 12 against Oklahoma and has tallied double-digit tackles in three games. This past summer, he was named a Hammer Strength All-American, recognizing the work he has put in to becoming an elite athlete.
Wiesman has enjoyed a standout junior campaign, starting every game on the offensive line (11 at right guard, one at left guard). He has been a devastating run blocker, creating lanes inside for Hurd, Alvin Kamara and Joshua Dobbs and pulling on outside runs. He has played a major role on a UT line that has generated 2,682 rushing yards and eight games with over 200 yards on the ground.
Tennessee's postseason honors to date:
Derek Barnett - DL
- All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
- All-SEC Second Team (Associated Press)
- GridironNow.com All-SEC Second-Team Defense
Evan Berry - Return Specialist
- Walter Camp First Team All-American (KR)
- Sports Illustrated First Team All American (KR)
- AutoNation FWAA Second Team All-American (KR)
- CBS Sports Second Team All-American (KR)
- FOX Sports Second Team All-American (KR)
- SEC Special Teams Player of the Year
- All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
- All-SEC Second Team (Associated Press)
- ESPN.com All-SEC
- GridironNow.com All-SEC First-Team Specialists (KR)
Chance Hall - OL
- Freshman All-SEC
Jalen Hurd - RB
- All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
- All-SEC Second Team (Associated Press)
- GridironNow.com All-SEC Second-Team Offense
Kyler Kerbyson - OL
- ESPN.com All-SEC
- All-SEC Second Team (Associated Press)
Darrin Kirkland Jr. - LB
- Freshman All-SEC
Jalen Reeves-Maybin - LB
- All-SEC Second Team (Associated Press)
- GridironNow.com All-SEC Second-Team Defense
Jashon Robertson - OG
- GridironNow.com All-SEC Second-Team Offense
Cameron Sutton - Return Specialist
- AutoNation FWAA Second Team All-American (PR)
- GridironNow.com All-SEC First-Team Specialists (PR)
Dylan Wiesman - OL
- All-SEC Second Team (Associated Press)
