Richt, Kaaya and Vogel Head to #ACCKickoff
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami junior quarterback Brad Kaaya and senior punter Justin Vogel will join first-year head coach Mark Richt as the Hurricane representatives on Thursday at the 2016 ACC Football Kickoff.
The three will converge on the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. in an event that plays host to hundreds of local, regional and national media members. The event also features ACC student-athletes, coaches, administrators and bowl partners.
On Thursday, student-athletes and coaches from the Coastal Division programs will participate in a variety of interview formats with the Atlantic Division contingent going through its media engagements on Friday. Other highlights include guest speakers and photo opportunities.
Fans can experience the event via live video streams on ESPN3 and theACC.com, as well as social media coverage using the #ACCKickoff hashtag.
Richt heads to his first ACC Kickoff event after leading the University of Georgia program for the past 15 years. During that time, he compiled a 145-51 overall record and an 85-40 mark in Southeastern Conference play. Richt has won two SEC championships, six SEC east titles and nine bowl games, finishing the season in the Associated Press Top 10 rankings seven times.
Kaaya heads to ACC Kickoff for the second straight year thanks to a strong sophomore season. In 2015, Kaaya threw for over 3,000 yards for the second straight year, passed for 16 touchdowns and had just five interceptions. He 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 career passing list at Miami.
Vogel heads to Charlotte after another standout season handling the punting duties for the Hurricanes. The Tampa, Fla., native, finished seventh in the ACC in punting average (42.5 yards per punt) and 43rd nationally. A two-time Ray Guy Award nominee, Vogel dropped 20 punts inside-the-20 yard line and had 13 punts of 50 yards-or-more. At the end of the year, Vogel earned All-ACC honorable mention recognition by the coaches.
The Hurricanes’ visit to North Carolina will be covered across a variety of digital and social media platforms throughout the day. Fans can follow live by following the official Twitter and Instagram accounts of Miami football: @CanesFootball.
Miami’s Flagship radio station WQAM 560 will broadcast on both Thursday and Friday of ACC Kickoff. “Voice of the Hurricanes” Joe Zagacki and Joe Rose will handle the coverage from Charlotte.
