Wednesday, December 06, 2000
UK's Smith first-team All-SEC
Enquirer news services
Kentucky sophomore tight end Derek Smith has been picked first-team All-Southeastern Conference by The Associated Press.
The Highlands High School product led the Wildcats in receiving this season with 50 receptions for 716 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught a pair of two-point conversions. He was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, which goes to the nation's best tight end.
Three of his best games came against nationally ranked teams: eight catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns at Florida; five for 108 yards against Georgia, and six for 102 yards vs. Mississippi State.
Senior offensive lineman Omar Smith, the leader of the offensive line, also was a first-team selection. He started six games at right guard and five games at left tackle when Matt Brown was injured. Omar Smith's blocking helped UK and quarterback Jared Lorenzen lead the SEC and rank 11th nationally in total offense with 445 yards a game.
South Carolina's Lou Holtz was named SEC coach of the year Tuesday after leading the Gamecocks to a 7-4 season and an Outback Bowl bid. South Carolina was 0-11 last year.
“It's always flattering when you're honored like this, but all you have to do is realize that Mike DuBose was the Coach of the Year last year and now he's unemployed,” Holtz said of the former Alabama coach. “One day you're drinking the wine, the next day you're picking the grapes.”
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UK's Smith first-team All-SEC