UM WR Ahmmon Richards can be one of CFB’s most dangerous players
Miami wide receiver Ahmmon Richards had a record-setting year as a Freshman in 2016. He was plagued by injuries in 2017 and played in only seven games. Back healthy, Richards can become one of college football’s most dangerous playmakers again in 2018.
Ahmmon Richards broke Michael Irvin’s 31-year-old Miami Freshmen receiving yardage record in 2016. He finished the season with 934 yards. Richards performance earned him a spot on ESPN’s true Freshmen All-America team after the season.
Locally and regionally Richards is still being recognized. Nationally it seems that some publications and websites have forgotten about Richards. Richards is expected to be the leader on and off the field of a young Miami receiving corps. Athlon Sports projects Richards to be first team All-ACC.
Richards was not included in a recent article by MSN.Com about the 20 most dangerous playmakers in College Football. Boston College’s A.J. Dillon was the only player in the ACC on the list.
Toledo’s Dionatae Johnson who had eight receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown against Miami last year is on the list. The Hurricanes and Rockets meet in Toledo on September 15.
The two touchdowns are impressive and being a target in the red zone is always dangerous against any defense. But can you really fear a wide receiver that averages 8.25 yards per reception?
Johnson also had five kickoff returns for 94 yards against the Hurricanes. That’s 18.8 yards per return. That’s not exceptional for a player deemed to be one of the 20 most dangerous?
Richards led All-Freshmen nationally in receiving yards, receiving yards per game and yards per reception in 2016. He averaged 71.8 receiving yards per game that season. That number went down to 62.7 last year.
Richards average yards per catch did not fall too far in 2017. He averaged 19.3 yards per reception as a Freshman in 2016 and 18.3 last season. If he would have qualified, the 18.3 yards per reception would have placed Richards 25th nationally. That shows he can still be one of the most dangerous players in the country.
With the depth of talent Miami has at wide receiver, Richards likely won’t have to do as much as he did the last two seasons (when healthy). Four talented returnees and four-star incoming Freshmen give Mark Richt, Offensive Coordinator Thomas Brown and Wide Receivers Coach Ron Dugans a lot to work with.
The article did have some flaws. All 20 of the playmakers listed in the post were on offense. There are many playmakers on the defensive side of the ball that would be deserving of being ranked in the top 20. The post originally appeared on a site called Sportsnaut and was written by David Kenyon.
In their article about “100 Things to fire you up about college football in 2018” CBSSports listed Richards as one of the 22 best playmakers on either side of the ball that didn’t play quarterback or running back. Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman is also listed.
Next: 82 Days to Miami football: 2018 Ahmmon Richards preview
With the talent Miami keeps stockpiling at the skill positions on offense, they should be more explosive this season. The biggest key will be the offensive line. If they give Miami quarterback Malik Rosier more time to throw, that will help Richards and the receiving corps to all become playmakers.