SEC coaches name Mark Stoops Coach of the Year, Josh Allen Defensive Player of the Year

The Kentucky Wildcats continue to rack up awards, the latest being from the SEC coaches.

On Wednesday, league coaches named Mark Stoops the SEC Coach of the Year, while Josh Allen was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Stoops has taken Kentucky Football to heights not seen in decades, as they won nine regular-season games for the first time in 41 years, including a 5-3 mark in SEC play, the team’s first winning league record since 1977. The Cats won at Florida, ending a three-decade-long losing skid to the against the Gators. Kentucky capped off the regular season with the most-lopsided win in the history of the Governor’s Cup series against Louisville, 56-10.

Allen, a senior from Montclair, New Jersey, racked up 14 sacks in 2018 and now holds UK’s career (28.5) and single-season records. His 11 career forced fumbles tie former Wildcat and current Chicago Bear linebacker Danny Trevathan for UK’s career mark (forced fumbles stats available since 1988).

Allen leads the team with 84 tackles and paces the SEC in sacks, tackles for loss (18.5) and forced fumbles (5).

2018 SEC Football Awards

Offensive Player Of The Year

Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

Defensive Player of the Year

Josh Allen, Kentucky

Special Teams Player of the Year

Braden Mann, Texas A&M

Freshman of the Year

Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Hale Hentges, Alabama

Jacobs Blocking Trophy

Jonah Williams, Alabama

Coach of the Year

Mark Stoops, Kentucky