Photo: UK Athletics
Austin MacGinnis, Ramsey Meyers honored by league coaches for impressive rookie seasons
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky redshirt freshman kicker Austin MacGinnis and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Ramsey Meyers have been named to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team as voted by league coaches, it was announced Thursday.
MacGinnis was the lone placekicker on the team, while Meyers was one of four (non-center) offensive linemen to be named. The accolade adds to a list of postseason recognition for MacGinnis, who was named first-team All-SEC on Monday by the Associated Press and Tuesday by league coaches. This was the first award this season for Meyers.
The honors for MacGinnis and Meyers mark the seventh consecutive year that Kentucky has had at least one player named to the All-SEC Freshman Team, dating back to the 2008 season. This is the first time two or more players have earned the honor in the same season since four Wildcats were named to the team in 2006. MacGinnis is the first UK player to ever be named first-team All-SEC and All-SEC Freshman in the same season. Meyers is first UK offensive lineman named to the list since Larry Warford in 2009.
A native of Wedowee, Ala., MacGinnis set five school records in his collegiate debut season, totaling 21 field goals, the most in Kentucky history. He had the most field goals in the SEC this season, also leading all NCAA freshmen. MacGinnis finished with a school-record 104 points – equaling the SEC lead – and is one of only five kickers in the nation with three field goals of 50+ yards.
MacGinnis, who made a UK record 41 extra-point tries without a miss in 2014, set another school mark with the longest field goal in school history, a 54-yard boot at Tennessee. MacGinnis, who earned national placekicker of the week from the College Football Performance Awards after making four field goals at No. 22 Louisville, also set a school record with 25 touchbacks on kickoffs in 2014.
Meyers had a solid season for Kentucky in the trenches, starting all 12 games. A native of Orange Park, Fla., Meyers graded out at 86 percent in UK’s win over South Carolina and at 85 percent in the season finale vs. Louisville. In those two games, Meyers did not allow a sack nor get called for a penalty. On the season, Meyers had 35 knockdown blocks, including a season-high eight in UK’s victory over Vanderbilt. Due to Meyers’ blocking, five different UK players rushed for at least 300 yards in 2014, marking the first time UK has accomplished that in 37 years.
For more on the Kentucky football team, follow @UKFootball or @UKCoachStoops on Twitter, or like Kentucky Football on Facebook.
Freshman All-SEC – Offense
TE – Jeb Blazevich, Georgia
OL – Cam Robinson, Alabama; Jashon Robertson, Tennessee; Braden Smith, Auburn; Ramsey Meyers, Kentucky
C – Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
WR – Speedy Noil, Texas A&M; Malachi Dupre, LSU
QB – Treon Harris, Florida
RB – Nick Chubb, Georgia; Leonard Fournette, LSU
All-Purpose – Leonard Fournette, LSU
Freshman All-SEC – Defense
DL – Myles Garrett, Texas A&M; Derek Barnett, Tennessee; Da’Shawn Hand, Alabama; Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss
LB – Nigel Bowden, Vanderbilt; Lorenzo Carter, Georgia; J.T. Gray, Mississippi State
DB – Jalen Tabor, Florida; Jamal Adams, LSU; Todd Kelly, Jr., Tennessee; Al Harris, Jr., South Carolina
Freshman All-SEC – Special Teams
PK – Austin MacGinnis, Kentucky
P – JK Scott, Alabama
Return Specialist – Speedy Noil, Texas A&M
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