CORAL GABLES (Fla.) – Two of our area’s college football players have been selected to be on the Maxwell Awards Watch List earlier today.
University of Miami incoming juniors Travis Homer (starting running back; Oxbridge Academy 2016 alum) and Ahmmon Richards (starting wide receiver; Wellington 2016 alum) will go into this fall season as nominees Junior running back Travis Homer and junior wide receiver Ahmmon Richards were picked as nominees for one of the nation’s most prestigious individual collegiate honors. It’s a testament to their continuous greatness on and off the field.
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 time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.
With that said, Homer will look to build on his successful sophomore campaign at the running back position.
The 2017 All-ACC Second Team selection finished the previous season with 1,203 all-purpose yards (966 rushing yards on 163 attempts; 5.9 yards per carry; eight rushing touchdowns; three 100-yard games in 13 games of action) and was the only Miami offensive player who earned the right to wear the now-famous “Turnover Chain” via a fumble recovery on special teams.
Meanwhile, Richards will be looking to regain his All-American form as a receiver in more ways than one.
A consensus Freshman All-American and All-ACC selection two seasons ago, Richards displayed a great level of courage and perseverance this past year by recording 439 receiving yards and three touchdowns in just eight games played. The team’s No. 1 receiver has garnered a total of 73 receptions for 1,373 yards and six touchdown catches in 21 career games played.
“He’s worked hard for it,” said Wellington head coach Tom Abel, who coached Richards throughout his high school football career from the 2012-2015 seasons. “We’d like to think we helped him out with his development, but he did it all on his own. He deserves everything that’s coming his way.”
Miami (Fla.) has had three Maxwell Award winners in its illustrious history. All of them were quarterbacks, as Vinny Testaverde (1986), Gino Torretta (1992) and Ken Dorsey (2001) have each captured the Maxwell Award.
Will Miami get a fourth in Homer or Richards? We have an entire season to find out and see for ourselves.
Article source: www.hurricanesports.com