UCF senior defensive end Bruce Miller (Canton, Ga.) was named the preseason Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year this morning in a vote of the league’s coaches. He was also one of four Knights named to the single all-conference team, joining running back Brynn Harvey (Largo, Fla.), Jah Reid (Haines City, Fla.) and Josh Robinson (Sunrise, Fla.).
The honors are nothing new for Miller was has been named a preseason All-American heading into 2010 by several media outlets and was the C-USA coaches’ pick for Defensive Player of the Year following a 2009 season in which he made 18 tackles for loss and 13 sacks, helping UCF to a 6-2 league mark and 8-5 overall including the team’s trip to the St. Petersburg Bowl.
Miller leads all players nationally with his 27 career sacks and 44 career TFLs.
Harvey had a better sophomore season than Kevin Smith did in 2006 as he ran for 1,109 yards and 14 touchdowns last fall. He caught 14 passes out of the backfield as well. He showed his durability in league play when he carried the ball 42 times for 219 yards against Memphis on Oct. 3, one of five 100-yard rushing efforts on the year for Harvey.
Reid started all 13 games at right tackle and was a first-team All-C-USA pick following a 2009 season in which UCF ranked as one of the most improved offenses in the nation. Reid’s improved pass protection and run blocking was a critical element in this success.
Robinson earned freshman All-America accolades last fall when he led all true freshmen nationally with his six interceptions and 14 passes defended. The six interceptions tied for the national lead amongst all freshmen and broke Joe Burnett’s UCF freshman record of five set in 2005.
UCF’s four all-conference picks are the most of any C-USA East Division team and trail only the five selections from Houston and Tulsa amongst the league’s membership as a whole.
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