Already a member of the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District First Team, UCF senior Josh Linam earned another prestigious honor Friday. The Knights’ middle linebacker was voted onto the Conference USA All-Academic First Team, marking the second-straight season he was named to the squad.
Majoring in sports and fitness, Linam currently carries a cumulative grade-point average of 3.36, and he was one of just three members of this year’s C-USA All-Academic Team who were repeat selections (ECU’s Matt Milner and Tulsa’s G.J. Kinne are the others).
Linam and former UCF defensive back Sha’reff Rashad are the only two Knights who have appeared on both the Academic All-District Team and the C-USA All-Academic Team twice during their careers since UCF moved to C-USA in 2005.
In all, the Knights have earned six spots on the C-USA All-Academic Team under head coach George O’Leary: Rashad (2006 and 2007), Keith Shologan (2007), Rocky Ross (2009) and Linam (2010 and 2011).
A native of Tavares, Fla., Linam started 25 of UCF’s last 26 games at middle linebacker, ranking third on the team in 2011 with 66 tackles, including a season-high nine vs. East Carolina and UTEP. He also collected 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and a pair of interceptions. Linam received College Football Performance Awards Honorable Mention National Linebacker of the Week honors for his effort against UTEP, which featured 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception.
For his career, Linam registered 165 tackles with 20 tackles for loss and three interceptions in 50 games played.