Matt Murschell: Players to watch in the AAC this season.
USF’s Quinton Flowers was the top offensive player in the American Athletic Conference last season after delivering a record-setting performance. The Bulls quarterback is one of many players to watch in the AAC during the upcoming season.
D’Angelo Brewer, Tulsa, RB
The Buzz: Tulsa finished with the third-best rushing offense in the American last season thanks to the tandem of Brewer (1,435 yards and seven touchdowns) and James Flanders (1,629 yards, 18 TDs), who combined to rush for more than 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. It was more rushing yards than nine teams in the AAC. Flanders is gone, leaving Brewer to take over the majority of the carries in 2017.
Sean Chandler, Temple, S
The Buzz: Chandler is a two-time all-conference star for the Owls who has seven career interceptions. He’s one of four returning starters on defense for Temple and will be a crucial part of the team under new coach Geoff Collins.
Riley Ferguson, Memphis, QB
The Buzz: Ferguson passed for 3,698 yards and a school-record 32 touchdowns for the Tigers in 2016. He finished second in the league behind Houston’s Greg Ward Jr. with 284.5 yards passing per game and second behind Flowers with a 152.66 passer rating. His 3,698 passing yards ranked second in school history behind Paxton Lynch. Ferguson is one of nine returning starters on offense for Memphis in 2017.
Quinton Flowers, USF, QB
The Buzz: Flowers is looking to follow up on his successful 2016 season, during which he set single-season school records for total offense (4,342 yards), rushing yards (1,530) and touchdowns (42) while earning AAC Offensive Player of the Year honors. He’s looking to become the first player to win back-to-back player of the year honors under new coach Charlie Strong and offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert.
Shaquem Griffin, UCF, LB
The Buzz: Griffin joined former UCF defender Jacoby Glenn (2014) in becoming the only Knights to win AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Griffin, a first-year starter in 2016, led the league in sacks (11) while ranking third in the AAC in tackles for loss (19). He was one of the key pieces in a unit that went from being ranked 10th in the AAC in total defense in 2015 to fourth in 2016.
McKenzie Milton, UCF, QB
The Buzz: The dualthreat freshman quarterback ingratiated himself with UCF fans by helping lead the Knights from a winless season in 2015 to six wins and a bowl berth in 2016. Milton led the team in total offense (2,141 yards) with 13 total touchdowns as the offense made the transition from pro-style to the hurry-up spread style under firstyear coach Scott Frost.
Ed Oliver, Houston, DT
The Buzz: One of the most intimidating presences on the defensive side of the football last season, Oliver was named AAC Rookie of the Year after he finished second in the league in tackles for loss (19) while adding five sacks and forcing three fumbles for the Cougars in 2016. New defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio will work to get more out of Oliver and the Houston defense in 2017.
Tony Pollard, Memphis, WR
The Buzz: Pollard became the fourth consecutive Memphis player to win conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors after the Tigers returner led the league in kickoff return yard average (28.11 yards per return). He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Pollard finished third on the team in receptions (29) and fourth overall in receiving yards (298) with two touchdowns.
Auggie Sanchez, USF, LB
The Buzz: Sanchez is a two-time all-conference selection during his time at USF, including last season when he led the team in tackles (117) while finishing second in sacks (6) and tackles for loss (8.5). A native of the Tampa Bay area, Sanchez is expected to be a crucial piece of the Bulls’ defense in 2017. The unit is looking to improve on its lastplace finish in the American in total defense in 2016.
Courtland Sutton, SMU, WR
The Buzz: Sutton earned first-team allconference honors after finishing third in the AAC in receiving yards (1,246) and receiving touchdowns (10). He also was one of seven players in the league to finish the season with at least 75 receptions. SMU had the fifth-best passing offense in the league in 2016 thanks, in part, to Sutton. With nine starters returning on offense, the sky’s the limit for the team in 2017.