Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
ACC names Seminoles QB rookie of the year
Florida State quarterback
Deondre Francois was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s offensive and overall rookie of the year, the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association announced Tuesday.
Francois, a former Orlando Olympia High standout, helped lead the Seminoles to a 9-3 record in his first season as a starter.
He ended the regular season with 3,128 yards passing — the fourth-highest total ever by an ACC freshman — with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 189 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Francois received 25 of 48 votes for the overall honor, topping Clemson defensive tackle Dexter
Lawrence, who won defensive rookie of the year, and Duke quarterback Daniel Jones.
Francois received 30 of 48 votes for offensive rookie of the year, edging Jones, Miami receiver Ahmmon Richards and Georgia Tech running back Dedrick Mills. FSU defensive end Brian
Burns, who leads all freshmen nationally with 8.5 sacks, finished fifth for defensive rookie of the year voting.
ACC media also voted Virginia Tech’s Justin
Fuente as coach of the year.
Tide beatable
CBS Sports college football analyst Gary Danielson said it takes two things to knock off No. 1 Alabama.
Physical play up front and efficient play at quarterback.
To do this each year usually requires an opponent to hold their own with one of the best defensive and offensive lines in the nation and have their quarterback hold his own against one of the best defenses. In short, good luck. A few teams have caught lightning in a bottle behind a hot QB — Texas A&M with eventual Heisman winner
Johnny Manziel in 2012 or Oklahoma behind a careerbest day by Trevor Knight in the 2014 Sugar Bowl.
During the 2014 playoff semifinals, Ohio State and tailback Ezekiel Elliot manhandled the Tide in the trenches.
Ole Miss capitalized on five turnovers in 2015 and two in 2014 to upset Alabama.
The Tide’s only other loss during the past five years was 34-28 to Auburn in 2013. The Tigers would lose the national title in the final seconds to Florida State.
In other words, rarely does everything fall into place for Alabama’s opponents. The Tide are 24-point favorites over the No. 15 Gators and unlikely to be sweating Saturday’s outcome.
Danielson said the Tide are not “unbeatable,” though. He noted vulnerabilities in the secondary, in pass blocking and in the passing game with freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts.
’Canes women crack top 20
After picking up a pair of wins in their Thanksgiving tournament, the Hurricanes women’s basketball team has moved back inside the top 20 of both major college basketball polls.
Miami, which has won five consecutive games since dropping its season opener to Kentucky, is now ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 and No. 16 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll released Tuesday.
In the Coaches Poll, Miami rose six spots and tied its highest ranking there over the course of the past four seasons.