Clemson, Lamar Jackson dominate AP All-ACC team

RALEIGH, N.C. — Top-ranked Clemson once again dominated the Associated Press All-Atlantic Coast Conference teams released Tuesday.

The league-champion Tigers placed six players on the first team, led by offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt — one of eight unanimous selections from the panel of 14 sports writers who cover the conference.

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson was the unanimous pick as the offensive player of the year while Boston College running back A.J. Dillon was unanimously selected as the newcomer of the year.

Miami coach Mark Richt was chosen as the coach of the year after leading the Hurricanes to the Coastal Division title and their first appearance in the ACC championship game. North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb is the defensive player of the year.

Clemson earned its third straight berth in the College Football Playoff a day after beating Miami 38-3 in the ACC title game.

Jackson, Dillon and Chubb also were unanimous selections to the first team along with N.C. State running back Nyheim Hines, Syracuse receiver Steve Ishmael and two players from Virginia — linebacker Micah Kiser and safety Quin Blanding.

UCF tabs Josh Heupel as next football coach

ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF didn’t take long to hire someone to lead its rejuvenated football program.

The university announced Tuesday that Josh Heupel will be the Knights’ next football coach. The move comes about 72 hours after Scott Frost announced Saturday he was leaving UCF to become the coach at Nebraska.

“Coach Frost did an outstanding job,” Heupel said Tuesday at his introductory news conference. “My job to continue to develop those relationships and continuity. I look forward to that. We need to play smart football but we also have to be physical.”

Heupel, who has been the offensive coordinator at Missouri the past two seasons, inherits a Knights program that just finished 12-0 to win the American Athletic Conference title. The Knights will play Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 1.

He will not coach the Knights in the bowl game but will watch in from a booth at Mercedes-Benz stadium. UCF is working on logistics that would allow Frost to coach that game.

Heupel said he was able to catch “bits and pieces” of UCF’s play this season.

Taggart leaving Oregon to coach at Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Willie Taggart is returning to the Sunshine State, this time as head football coach at Florida State.

Taggart has agreed to become Florida State’s next coach, replacing Jimbo Fisher. Taggart told his Oregon players during a team meeting on Tuesday that he is leaving.

Florida State has called a news conference for this morning to introduce Taggart.

The 41-year old Bradenton native coached at South Florida for four seasons before going to Oregon. Fisher resigned Friday to accept the opening at Texas A&M.

Taggart has a 47-50 career record, including 7-5 this season, but is known as a rebuilder. He arrived in Eugene after four years at South Florida, where he guided the Bulls from a 2-10 record his first year to a 10-2 mark last year and a spot in the Birmingham Bowl.

Before that he spent three seasons as head coach at his alma mater, Western Kentucky, inheriting a winless program that he turned around with back-to-back winning seasons.

Taggart, and Odell Haggins — Fisher’s replacement on an interim basis — are the first black head football coaches at Florida State.