UM’s Ahmmon Richards earns spot on Biletnikoff watch list
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hurricanes receiver Ahmmon Richards dealt with a plethora of injuries last year that limited his production, but that hasn’t kept the former Wellington High standout from earning accolades ahead of the new season.
Richards on Thursday was named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the top FBS receiver, regardless of position.
It’s the second major college football award that has recognized Richards this week. On Monday he, along with Hurricanes running back Travis Homer, were named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is given annually to the college football player of the year.
Richards, a former Freshman All-American, appeared in eight games for the Hurricanes and made seven starts despite dealing with hamstring, ankle and knee injuries. At the ACC Kickoff earlier this week, Richards acknowledged there was only one game last season — Miami’s 31-6 win over Duke on Sept. 29 — when he said he felt 100 percent.
He still finished the season with 24 catches for 439 yards and three touchdowns. Now cleared to return to action, the receiver said he is looking forward to building on his success at Miami, success that included breaking Michael Irvin’s 31-year-old freshman receiving record in 2016.
That year, Richards finished with 934 yards, a number good enough to lead all receivers nationally.
“We’ve been doing a lot of conditioning and I’ve been running 100 percent,” Richards said. “It’s fine. I don’t feel anything there anymore. It’s great.”
Richards is one of seven ACC players on the Biletnikoff Award watch list along with Wake Forest’s Greg Dortch, Louisville’s Dez Fitzpatrick and Jaylen Smith, North Carolina State’s Kelvin Harmon, Duke’s T.J. Rahming and Virginia’s Olamide Zaccheaus.