Three Hurricanes make All-ACC preseason defense
The preseason love for the Hurricanes continues ... on defense.
The 148 media members who voted at last week’s ACC Kickoff named three Miami players as All-ACC selections entering the 2018 season. Cornerback Michael Jackson, safety Jaquan Johnson and linebacker Shaquille Quarterman were named to the first team.
This news comes one day after media voting for the ACC’s predicted order of finish was released, with the Hurricanes picked to win the Coastal Division and then lose to Clemson in the league’s championship game.
Miami’s defense features three players who earned the first-team honor, which is second-most behind Clemson’s five defensive players who made the list. The Hurricanes’ offense was not represented among the AllACC selections after running back Mark Walton and wide receiver Ahmmon Richards (Wellington High) made the cut last year.
Walton is now in the NFL, and Richards is coming off an injury-plagued season. Still, Richards and running back Travis Homer (Oxbridge Academy)— who ran for 966 yards and eight touchdowns on 163 carries last year — were the top two candidates from Miami’s offense to make the All-ACC team.
Instead, the All-ACC selections at wide receiver were Louisville’s Jaylen Smith, N.C. State’s Kelvin Harmon and Clemson’s Hunter Renfrow. Boston College’s AJ Dillon and Florida State’s Cam Akers are the running backs named to the first team.
Florida State did not have a defensive player chosen, but place-kicker Ricky Aguayo made the special teams.
AAC predictions: UCF overall champ, USF second in East: Fresh off its 13-0 season, UCF was projected to repeat as American Athletic Conference champions, earning 19 of the possible 30 first-place votes in a preseason media poll released Tuesday.
The Knights received 25 of the possible 30 first-place votes to win the AAC East Division, finishing ahead of USF (5), Temple, Cincinnati, UConn and East Carolina.
Memphis earned 23 firstplace votes to take the top spot in the West Division ahead of Houston (4), Navy (3) SMU, Tulane and Tulsa.
The preseason favorite has won the conference title once in the league’s first five seasons (Cincinnati 2014).
Gator arrested again: Freshman cornerback Justin Watkins was booked on four charges Tuesday, including two felony charges, according to Alachua County court records.
Watkins was charged with two misdemeanor counts of battery and two third-degree felonies — false imprisonment of an adult and domestic battery by strangulation.
Watkins, 19, remained in the Alachua County jail Tuesday night.
UF sports information director Steve McClain confirmed coach Dan Mullen has suspended Watkins from all team activities.
It’s the second time in three months Watkins has found himself charged with a crime involving a female.
Watkins was arrested in Ocala in May for allegedly breaking a woman’s phone and kicking her car.
Watkins, a former fourstar prospect, enrolled at Florida in June for the Summer B semester.
FAU duo on Nagurski watch list: For the second time this offseason, Florida Atlantic linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been named to a watch list celebrating the nation’s best defensive player.
After being selected to the Bednarik Award watch list last week, Al-Shaair joined Owls teammate and senior cornerback Shelton Lewis among the 97 players selected to the Nagurski Trophy watch list. Named for former Minnesota Golden Gophers and Chicago Bears fullback/defensive tackle Bronko Nagurski, the award is presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America to the best defensive player in Division I regardless of position.