University of Tennessee Athletics
Burnett Named One of 12 Bednarik Award Semifinalists
November 01, 2004 | Football
Nov. 1, 2004
BURNETT NAMED ONE OF 12 BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALISTS Tennessee senior linebacker Kevin Burnett added to his growing list of 2004 accomplishments Monday when he was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation's outstanding collegiate defensive player.
The Carson, Calif., native becomes UT's first representative to make the final 12 in the nine-year history of the Bednarik Award, presented annually by the Robert W. Maxwell Football Club in the Philadelphia suburb of Roslyn, Pa. Three weeks ago, Burnett was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award as one of the nation's top collegiate linebackers.
Burnett has 74 tackles this season, second behind teammate Jason Allen and fourth in the Southeastern Conference. The preseason Playboy All-America selection has 228 career tackles and 22 career tackles for loss.
UT OFFERS GRID FANS CHANCE TO PREVIEW 2004-05 HOOPS SQUAD UT football fans have the opportunity to watch Friday's men's basketball exhibition game for free. Fans with tickets to Saturday's UT-Notre Dame football game will be admitted without cost to Tennessee's home preseason opener against Tusculum.
Fans simply must show their football tickets at the Thompson-Boling Arena entry gates for free admission. Seating is general admission, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.
VOLS TRYING FOR SECOND STRAIGHT 'PONTIAC GAME CHANGING PERFORMANCE' AWARD For the second week in a row, Tennessee has been selected as a finalist for a "Pontiac Game Changing Performance" award on ESPN. From now through Thursday morning, fans can vote for UT's "Classic Conversion" at espn.com/pontiac. UT has a chance to earn another $5,000 toward its general scholarship fund.
On third-and-18 from the UT 24 and trailing 8-0 late in the first half, freshman QB Brent Schaeffer found C.J. Fayton for a 55-yard pass play that helped set up UT's first score. That helped UT gain control of the momentum of the game it would later win 43-29. UT's long pass play is up against Michigan's field goal and subsequent onside kick recovery, Georgia's game-icing pass play, and Maryland's clinching 72-yard TD against Florida State.
Last week, Derrick Tinsley's big punt return against Alabama was voted the Pontiac Game Changing Performance of the week.
MUNOZ SELECTED NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION SCHOLAR-ATHLETE Munuz Tennessee offensive tackle Michael Munoz has been named one of eight Division I-A 2004 national scholar-athletes, as selected by the National Football Foundation. He will be honored at the Foundation's 47th annual awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City Dec. 7. He joins College Football Hall of Fame selection Frank Emanuel (1963-65) as honorees with Tennessee ties.
"It's very hard to balance academics and athletics," Munoz said. "It's something you have to do in order to play. You love playing football so you know you have to take care of business. You work hard and hope something like that happens at the end. It's humbling and I'm excited about the opportunity."
A senior from Mason, Ohio, Munoz has started all 44 career games in which he has appeared. He was named Academic All-SEC in 2002 and 2003 and has served as a team captain in 2003 and 2004.
"It's a wonderful honor for Michael and his family," head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "We're very proud of him. To get recognized as one of the best in the country, is a real honor."
Each scholar-athlete receives an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship and on the evening of Dec. 7, one of them will receive the Draddy Trophy as the top scholar-athlete in the nation, increasing the scholarship to $25,000.
Munoz joins five other Vols who have been named national scholar-athletes by the College Football Hall of Fame: Neyle Sollee (1959), Bob Johnson (1967), Don Denbo (1970), Mike Mauck (1976) and Peyton Manning (1997).
To be eligible for a National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame post-graduate fellowship, the nominee must be a senior or graduate student in his final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have shown superior academic application and performance, have outstanding football ability as a first team player, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
