Kansas State’s Morgan Burns named Big 12’s top special teams player

Kansas State defensive back Morgan Burns is off to a fantastic start to college football’s award season.

Burns, a senior, was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year on Wednesday, a day after he was named first-team All-American as a kick returner by USA Today.

The Wichita product earned both honors after an impressive year of special teams plays. He returned four kickoffs for touchdowns and also scored on a blocked punt.

He has found the end zone in four consecutive games despite never lining up with K-State’s offense.

Burns, a senior, was named All-Big 12 kick returner and honorable mention defensive back.

Senior lineman Cody Whitehair, senior kicker Jack Cantele and freshman fullback Winston Dimel were also named to the coaches’ first team. Senior defensive tackle Travis Britz and sophomore linebacker Elijah Lee were second team.

On honorable mention from K-State were defensive tackle Will Geary, kicker Matthew McCrane, lineman Boston Stiverson and punter Nick Walsh.

KU’s Smithson on second team – Kansas junior safety Fish Smithson was named to the second team. Three Jayhawks were honorable mention: senior defensive end Ben Goodman, sophomore tight end Ben Johnson and junior fullback Michael Zunica.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 11:24 AM with the headline "Kansas State’s Morgan Burns named Big 12’s top special teams player."