Mark Richt Named ACC COY, several Miami Hurricanes earn All-ACC
Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mark Richt has been named the ACC’s Coach of the Year and several of his players were named All-ACC by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Richt beat out his opponent in the ACC Championship game Clemson’s Dabo Swinney by 10 votes to two. Several of his Miami Hurricanes players also received recognition per the Miami Herald’s Susan Miller Degnan.
Kicker Michael Badgley was the only Miami Hurricanes player to receive first-team All-ACC recognition. Badgley is fifth in the ACC and third among kickers with an average of 8.3 points per game.
The Senior kicker won the game against Georgia Tech with a field goal with four seconds remaining. He made 15 of his 18 field goal attempts in the regular season. Badgley’s 83.3 percent field goal percentage is tied for 24th in the country. That’s tied for third in the ACC.
Three Miami Hurricanes were named to the All-ACC ASCMA second team. Travis Homer was the only Miami offensive player named. Safety Jaquan Johnson and cornerback Michael Jackson were named to the second team All-ACC defense.
Homer has excelled since taking over as the starting running back after Miami’s fourth game of the season against Florida State following season-ending ankle surgery to starting running back Mark Walton.
Homer has made the most of his opportunity. He has 866 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and has added 18 receptions for 219 yards and another touchdown. He has accomplished all this while still being a key player on special teams.
Johnson has been the unquestioned Most Valuable Player of the Miami Hurricanes defense in 2017. He is the leading tackler and most frequent holder of the turnover chain.
Johnson has four interceptions including the memorable pick-six against Virginia to tie the game. He has added three tackles for loss, one sack, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Jackson has surprised with his stellar play on the corner. He has 36 tackles, two tackles for loss, is tied for the team lead with Johnson with four interceptions, has four pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Wide receiver Braxton Berrios, tackle K.C. McDermott and guard Navaughn Donaldson were named to the third-team offense and defensive tackle R.J. McIntosh and defensive end Trent Harris were named to the third team defense.
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Many receivers had better stats than Berrios, but few were more valuable to their teams. Berrios leads the Hurricanes in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.
He has 44 receptions for 574 yards and nine touchdowns. Berrios best game came against Florida State. Berrios had nine receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
McDermott and Donaldson helped lead the ACC’s fourth-best scoring offense. The Hurricanes averaged 422.9 yards per game offensively.
Donaldson did an amazing job at right guard as a true Freshman. His size and athleticism was a huge part of the Miami Hurricanes offense.
Donaldson missed two games early this season. McDermott did a stellar job after switching from left guard to left tackle with fellow Senior Trevor Darling.
Harris and McIntosh led what is arguably’s the best front four in the country in tackles for loss. McIntosh leads Miami 11.5 tackles for loss and Harris is second with 10.5.
Harris leads Miami with 8.5 sacks. McIntosh had 2.5 from his tackle position. Harris production is impressive as he is second on the depth chart behind Sophomore Joe Jackson.
Next: Miami Hurricanes able to keep perspective after loss to Pittsburgh
Surprisingly left off the All-ACC team was tight end Chris Herndon. Herndon is second to Berrios in receptions, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards this season. He has 40 catches for 477 yards and four touchdowns.