Dec. 9, 2010
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - One of the smallest Knights won a very big award on Thursday as diminutive kick returner Quincy McDuffie was named to CBS Sports and Rivals.com's All-America second team. He is the first Knight to be named All-America specifically as a kick returner since Todd Cleveland in 1994 at the FCS level.
The Edgewater High School graduate ranks second in the nation averaging 32.65 yards per return in 2010. He has also returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns, running one back 93 yards for a score against NC State on Sept. 11 and taking the opening kickoff of the game back 95 yards to pay dirt at Tulane on Nov. 20. Those scores give McDuffie three in his career to rank second in both UCF and C-USA history. His school record 32.7 average this year would rank second in C-USA history for a single season. To boost this average to such a lofty plateau, McDuffie had a kickoff return of 35 yards or longer in eight separate games this past fall.
Behind McDuffie and Jamar Newsome's returns along with solid blocking, UCF leads the nation with its 28.26 yard kick return average.
Yesterday McDuffie was named first team All-Conference USA as a kick returner, joining Joe Burnett (2008) as the only Knights ever to be so honored.
No. 24 UCF will face Georgia on Dec. 31 in Memphis in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. For all of the latest bowl game ticket and travel information, head to UCFBowl.com or call the UCF Athletics ticket office at (407) 823-1000.