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Picking Up The Pieces

The University of Miami football team was picked to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division according to a poll of 191 media members who attended the 2016 ACC Football Kickoff last week in Charlotte. The Hurricanes received 50 first-place votes to win the ACC Coastal.

Miami enters the 2016 campaign by returning 17 starters and 41 letterwinners from last year’s squad, which closed out the regular season on a high note by winning four of its last five games en route to earning a bid to the 2015 Sun Bowl - the program’s 39th overall bowl appearance.

Quarterback Brad Kaaya leads the way for the Hurricanes’ offense as he returns for his junior season following a stellar 2015 campaign for the Hurricanes in which he threw for 3,238 yards, 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Kaaya would eventually go on to earn ACC all-conference honors. Miami’s signal-caller tied for fourth in the ACC Preseason Player of the Year voting.

Clemson was picked as the likely ACC champion on 144 ballots, followed by Florida State with 39, North Carolina with 7 and Louisville with one vote.

For the latest information on the Miami Hurricanes, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, @CanesFootball, or visit our website at HurricaneSports.com.

Atlantic Division  
(First place votes in parenthesis)                       
1. Clemson (148) – 1,293
2. Florida State (42) – 1,176
3. Louisville (1) - 961
4. NC State - 704
5. Boston College - 441
6. Syracuse  - 426
7. Wake Forest - 347

Coastal Division
(First place votes in parenthesis)                       
1. North Carolina (121) – 1,238
2. Miami (50) – 1,108
3. Pitt (14) - 859
4. Virginia Tech (3) - 697
5. Duke (2) - 597
6. Georgia Tech (1) -588
7. Virginia -261

ACC Player of the Year
1. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson - 164
2. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State - 18
3. Elijah Hood, RB, North Carolina - 4
t-4. Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami - 2
t-4. Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville - 2

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Will U Be My Partner?

The University of Miami football team announced today the beginning of a year-long partnership with the American Youth Football League (AYFL) (ages 13 and below) in Broward County.

The partnership begins tonight at 6:30 p.m. at PAL Field in Plantation Fla., with the first of two coaches’ clinics. Miami head coach Mark Richt and other Hurricane assistant coaches will be on hand to provide instruction to youth coaches in the AYFL.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with the AYFL,” Richt said. “Through this partnership, we will be able to give kids and coaches the proper instruction they need to help advance their skills. This is a great opportunity to get out into the community and speak to some of our youth football programs in the AYFL. I’m looking forward to this clinic and to visiting other youth teams in parks throughout the tri-county area in the near future.”

The AYFL is one of South Florida’s largest youth football leagues and features teams from Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Davie, Delray, Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Sunrise, Tamarac, Weston and West Pines.

“I think it is very important that the premier youth football program partners with the University of Miami in order to get the proper instruction from the Hurricane coaching staff,” said AYFL Executive Vice President Joel Greenberg. “I think the overall experience will provide great excitement and help generate awareness of youth football and help continue to grow the game with UM.”

Richt Hits His Mark

College football head coaches all across the Country will do almost anything to land the prized high school recruits. Some will even lie, cheat and steal to win the incredible recruiting wars that happen each and every year.

Not Miami's Mark Richt.

Very few coaches have the courage and conviction to do a back flip from the highest platform into their school's pool to show just how very, very cool they are to the young men that literally look up to them.

Miami's Mark Richt does.

Your Miami Hurricanes coach did just that this past weekend during his "Paraidse Camp" at the University of Miami. Don't believe me, well watch this:

 

Richt definitely hit his Mark on that dive. How can you not like this guy?

Now get off of your couch and support Mark Richt and the Miami Hurricanes!

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Finish Strong

Kudos For Kaaya

The Davey O’Brien Foundation named quarterback Brad Kaaya from the University of Miami Football team to the 2016 Davey O’Brien Preseason Watch List on Thursday.
 
Kaaya, who was selected to the preseason watch list for the second consecutive season, is one of 30 student-athletes named to the preseason watch list. 
 

The Los Angeles native continues to add to his list of preseason accolades. On Wednesday, Kaaya was selected to the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team and Wuerffel Trophy Watch List for his community service work. Earlier this month, Kaaya was selected to the 2016 Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List.
 
Kaaya earned the preseason honor after he posted a strong sophomore season in which he threw for over 3,000 yards for the second straight year, passed for 16 touchdowns and had just five interceptions. Kaaya was one of just three players nationally to throw for 3,000-or-more yards, 10-or-more touchdowns and five-or-fewer interceptions.
 

Following the 2015 season, Kaaya earned All-ACC Third-Team honors from the coaches and Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. He enters his junior season with 6,436 career-passing yards and stands fifth on the all-time list at Miami.

Kaaya needs just 3,130 yards to become the Hurricanes’ all-time passing leader. That, and a win against FSU, will certainly vault him into the UMHOF for sure!

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Swim Heather Swim!

Heather Arseth became the first UM swimmer to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she will swim in the 100-meter freestyle.

Arseth, who also competed in the 2012 London Olympics for her native country, joins Sam Dorman (USA, synchronized 3-meter diving) and Marcela Marić (Croatia, 3-meter diving), as well as head coaches Randy Ableman and Andy Kershaw (USA), as Hurricanes swimming & diving representatives in Rio.

Kershaw and Ableman will both serve on the coaching staffs for Team USA.

“It is my second time in the Olympics, so I have a better idea of what to expect,” Arseth said. “It doesn’t take away from the excitement and the anticipation leading up to it. I’m definitely very excited to represent Mauritius, and it’ll be my first time representing The U, and that’s something I’m looking forward to.”

Arseth, who transferred to Miami prior to her junior season of 2013-14, said she was notified via email that she had been selected to represent Mauritius for a second time. She competed in the 200-meter freestyle in 2012.

“In London, during my first time at the Olympics, I was only 18 years old and I felt like I had a lot riding on my shoulders,” Arseth said. “I still feel that way, but I think I can manage the stress and the pressure a little better because I know what to expect. More than anything, I have confidence in my training and the training that Andy has provided for me for the last three years.”

Arseth, who competed at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, in order to secure her spot for Mauritius, said when she woke up for training Tuesday morning, she had received an email notifying her of her selection.

“Even with the time difference, it was so exciting,” she said. “I texted Andy at 5:45 a.m. He was up getting ready for a flight for a training camp with Team USA. I’m sure no one else was awake, but it was a special moment to have someone to share that excitement with.”

One of Miami’s top point-getters during her two seasons at Miami, Arseth said she’s looking forward to reuniting with friends from across the globe after several international competitions.

“I’ve made a lot of friends with athletes from other countries,” Arseth said. “It’s cool to see them, talk to them, know faces in the crowd. It was a little overwhelming in London because I didn’t know anyone. Now I’ll be coming back with friends from all over the world.”

Arseth and Dorman both graduated from Miami in 2015, while Marić is a rising sophomore.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Arseth said. “We were all sitting and watching Sam at Olympic Trials and during preliminaries, same thing with Marcela, where the anticipation is so high. Then it’s me, and I’ve been waiting and finally get the email…it’s cool to be able to bring your family with you to one of the most amazing experiences you can ever have as an athlete.”

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Now That Is Outlandish!

The Football Writers Association of America selected University of Miami offensive linemen Danny Isidora and Nick Linder to the 2016 Outland Trophy Watch List on Friday.

Isidora and Linder were each selected to the watch list following a 2015 season in which both players established themselves among the Hurricanes’ most reliable offensive lineman.

Isidora and Linder were two of just four players on last year’s team to start in all 13 games. Isidora, a Weston, Fla., native enters his senior season having made starts in 26 straight games.

Both players also helped lead the team to a No. 29 national ranking in passing offense (277.4 yards per game). They also helped anchor an offensive line that was ranked eighth nationally in fewest tackles for loss allowed (4.31 average).

The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists.

Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.

The list will be trimmed to six or seven semifinalists on Thurs., Nov. 17. Five days later, three Outland Trophy finalists will be named by the FWAA. The winner of the 71st Outland Trophy – named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn at the turn of the 20th century – will be announced on live on ESPN on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thurs., Dec. 8

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The Maxwell Football Club selected University of Miami football juniors Brad Kaaya and Joe Yearby to the preseason watch list for the 80th annual Maxwell Award on Tuesday.

The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, has been given to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell's contributions to the game of football were extensive, including his time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.

Miami is one of just 21 schools at the Football Bowl Subdivision level with two players on the Maxwell Award Watch List.

Kaaya earned the preseason recognition thanks to a strong sophomore season in which he threw for over 3,000 yards for the second straight year, passed for 16 touchdowns and had just five interceptions. Kaaya was one of just three players nationally to throw for 3,000-or-more yards, 10-or-more touchdowns and five-or-fewer interceptions.

Following the 2015 season, Kaaya earned All-ACC Third Team honors by the coaches and Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. The Los Angeles native enters his junior season with 6,436 career-passing yards and stands fifth on the all-time list at Miami. He needs just 3,130 yards to become the Hurricanes’ all-time passing leader.

Yearby’s preseason recognition came following a breakout 2015 campaign where he rushed for over 1,000 yards (1,002) and had eight total touchdowns (six rushing, two receiving). Yearby averaged 4.9 yards per carry and had 77.1 yards per game. He also ranked fourth on the team with 23 receptions.

Yearby finished the year as one of just four Hurricanes that started in every game during the 2015 campaign. Following the year, the Miami native was named All-ACC Third Team by the coaches and honorable mention by ACSMA.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Oct. 31, 2016, while the three finalists for the award will be unveiled November 21, 2016. The winners of the 2016 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 8, 2016. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 10, 2017.