ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – Four UCF football players – Mike Hughes, McKenzie Milton, Tre'Quan Smith and Shaquem Griffin – earned Phil Steele All-America honors for their performances throughout the 2017 season.
Hughes was named to the Second Team as a kick returner after finishing the season with an average of 34.1 yards per return, which ranks third in the nation. He also returned two kicks for touchdowns in 2017, including the game-winning score against USF to clinch a berth in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. Hughes was a First Team All-Conference selection and also receiving Second Team All-America honors from the FWAA.
Milton earned Fourth Team accolades after leading the Knights' to a nation's best 49.4 points per game in 2017. The quarterback set or tied nine UCF single game and single season records as a sophomore, including a program best 35 touchdowns and 3,795 yards as a sophomore. Milton was the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Smith was also a Fourth Team selection to the Phil Steele All-America Team after leading the Knights with 54 catches, 1,082 yards and 14 total touchdowns. The junior ranks fourth in the nation with his 13 receiving touchdowns and 15th with 90.2 yards per game. Smith was also a Second Team All-Conference honoree.
Griffin, who was also named Second Team All-America by the AFCA, earned Fourth Team honors from Phil Steele. A finalist for the Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, he was a unanimous First Team All-Conference selection after leading the UCF defense for a second straight year. Griffin finished 2017 with 62 tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception and a touchdown.
The Knights continue to prepare for the upcoming 2018 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Auburn. The game will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Jan. 1 at 12:30 p.m.
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