Smith, Alabama add to football awards collection
Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith of Alabama added to his collection of postseason honors Thursday night, receiving the Maxwell Award as the college football player of the year.
Smith also won the Walter Camp player of the year and the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver.
Four other Alabama players received awards during the College Football Awards Show. Smith won the Maxwell over his teammate, quarterback Mac Jones, and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Smith leads the nation with 105 receptions and 20 touchdown catches.
Alabama’s Najee Harris, the former Antioch High star who scored an FBSleading 24 rushing touchdowns, won the Doak Walker Award as the top running back.
Alabama’s Jones won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year Award, and offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood became the sixth Alabama player to win the Outland Trophy as the outstanding interior lineman.
See PAGE 5 in this section for a list of awards handed out Thursday.
QB MOND LEAVING TEXAS A&M FOR NFL >> Texas A& M quarterback Kellen Mond is entering the 2021 NFL draft.
Mond, a redshirt senior, will graduate this year. Mond had 19 touchdowns and three interceptions.
He leaves as the school’s all-time leader in total offense, passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and attempts. CHATTANOOGA FIRES FOOTBALL ASSISTANT AFTER GEORGIA TWEET >> Chattanooga has fired an offensive line coach following a social media post disparaging both the state of Georgia and Stacey Abrams as “Fat Albert.”
In the tweet caught by screen grabs, Chris Malone posted on Twitter on Tuesday night: “Congratulations to the state GA and Fat Albert @staceyabrams because you have truly shown America the true works of cheating in an election, again!!! Enjoy the buffet Big Girl!! You earned it!!! Hope the money is good, still not governor!”
The Twitter account was deleted by Wednesday night.
Golf
THOMAS, ENGLISH SHARE LEAD TO START NEW YEAR >> Justin Thomas kept bogeys off his card and birdied three of his last five holes for an 8-under 65 to share the lead with Harris English in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii.
English’s 65 was highlighted by pitching in for eagle on No. 9.
Unlike the wind that was ripping across the Plantation Course earlier in the week, it was relatively calm by Kapalua standards. Only two players in the 42-player field were over par.
NHL
BRUINS NAME BERGERON AS CAPTAIN >> Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron was named the 20th captain in franchise history, the team announced.
Bergeron, 35, will wear the “C” after Zdeno Chara signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals on Dec. 30. Chara was the longest-tenured captain in the NHL prior to joining the Capitals. Bergeron was named an alternate captain for the Bruins in 2006, the same season that Chara was given the “C” on his sweater.
Tennis
KENIN OPENS SEASON WITH WIN >> Sofia Kenin opened her season by beating Yang Zhaoxuan 7- 6 (4), 6-2 in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open. The Australian Open champ hit 11 aces against Yang to set up a second-round match against Kirsten Flipkens.
Second-seeded Elina Svitolina, third- seeded Karolina Pliskova and American teenager Coco Gauff also came away with wins.
Soccer
ALONSO OUT AS COACH OF INTER MIAMI AFTER ONE SEASON >> Inter Miami’s tumultuous offseason continued with the announcement that Diego Alonso will not be back as coach for the club’s second season.
Alonso got the team to the MLS Cup playoffs in 2020, marking the seventh time that an expansion franchise reached the postseason. But Inter Miami was routed by fellow expansion club Nashville in that playoff appearance, finished 10th in the Eastern Conference and wound up with a 7-13-3 record.
The decision to not retain Alonso means three of the club’s key faces from its first season — Alonso, captain Luis Robles and sporting director Paul McDonough — will not be back for Year 2 in club history. Robles, one of the most decorated goalies in MLS history, announced his retirement on Wednesday after 14 years in the league, most of them with the New York Red Bulls.