COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina senior edge rusher Kyle Kennard has been named one of 20 semfinalist for the Walter Camp Foundation Player of the Year award, the fourth oldset national award in college football.
The Atlanta native ranks among the nation’s leaders in both sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (13.5).
He is tied for first in the SEC and tied for fifth in the country in sacks (1.06 per game). He leads the SEC and is fifth nationally in tackles for loss (1.5 per game).
Last week, Kennard was named a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and earlier this week, he was named a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award.
Kennard is a Georgia Tech transfer who has been an even bigger force than head coach Shane Beamer expected.
"I knew Kyle Kennard was good. I don't know if I knew Kyle Kennard was going to be just this good," Beamer said at his weekly Tuesday news conference.
"That is just full disclosure. I watched his tape. He had some really good plays at Georgia Tech, don't get me wrong. It wasn't like you turn on the highlight tape and it is just 20 straight minutes of Kyle Kennard sacking quarterbacks and stuff. There was some good stuff. I remember specifically watching Kyle play against Wake Forest last year and just seeing the explosion, the twitch, the bend, the athleticism, the strength, all the stuff we are seeing right now. I remember seeing that and thinking this guy could be really, really great for us."
Beamer said he was on the phone with a former NFL head coach last summer and that person made note of how impressed he was by Kennard.
"He started talking about what he thought a great portal pickup Kyle Kennard was, as well. It got me thinking, he sees the flashes of that, too. Surprised maybe isn't a great word. It is not a flash, it is dominant every single Saturday."