Aug. 29, 2006
ORLANDO - UCF sophomore punt returner Joe Burnett was named to the CBSSportsline.com Preseason All-America Second Team in an announcement made on the website Tuesday. Burnett led Conference USA in punt returns and ranked sixth nationally as a rookie in 2005 with an average of 16.5 yards per return.
The Eustis, Fla. native was named to the All-C-USA first team as both a punt returner and cornerback last season. Burnett had two of the five punt returns for touchdowns in the league last season, including a 68-yarder in the inaugural C-USA Championship game vs. Tulsa on Dec. 3. He was one of only eight returners nationally to take multiple punts back for touchdowns.
Burnett netted twice as many punt return yards as his closest competitor in C-USA last season, returning 28 punts for 463 yards - a total that was the third best in the nation.
Following the season, Burnett was named a First-Team Freshman All-America by the Football Writers Association of America, Rivals.com and CollegeFootballNews.com.