UCF Football Players Named Preseason C-USA

Nine UCF football players were named to Phil Steele's preseason All-Conference USA teams and senior cornerback Joe Burnett was named to the publication's preseason fourth-team All-American defensive unit on Monday. Steele's annual college football preview will hit newstands on June 10.

Burnett, a Eustis native, was named to Steele's first-team All-Conference USA squad as both a defensive back and punt return as he was joined on that squad by fellow classmates Pat Brown and Sha'reff Rashad.

Joe Burnett enters his final campaign ranked second on the UCF charts and second among active players in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision with 12 career interceptions. He is also tied among active players for the most punt returns for touchdowns with three during his career for the Knights.

Rashad led the Knights a year ago with 103 tackles, while Brown has made the most consecutive starts at left tackle as any player in the country entering the 2008 season. Brown has 38 career starts on the Knights' offensive line and helped his unit rack up 502 points and 3,287 rushing yards in 2007 - both school records.

Senior Johnell Neal and junior Chance Henderson were named to Steele's All-Conference USA second team. Neal, along with Burnett, tied for the C-USA lead with six interceptions in 2007. Henderson ranked third on the team with 74 tackles, including 49 solo stops.

Sophomore punter Blake Clingan was the lone Knight on the publications' third team, while incoming freshman Latavius Murray, senior wide receiver Rocky Ross and senior linebacker Cory Hogue were all selected to the fourth team.

Clingan averaged 40.7 ypp on 59 attempts during his rookie season and had 14 downed inside the 20-yard line. Murray has yet to play a down for the Knights, but was named the 2007 Gatorade Player of the Year in New York following his senior season at Onandoga Central High School in Nedrow, N.Y. He rushed for 2,194 yards and 28 touchdowns in his final prep campaign.

Ross led the Knights in receptions (50) and receiving yardage (658) in 2007, while Hogue started the last 12 games of the season and finished fourth on the squad with 72 tackles.