Six Hurricanes Named Semifinalists for Major Awards
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Six University of Miami football student-athletes were recognized as semifinalists for major awards on Monday, the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) announced.
Bubba Bolden (Paycom Jim Thorpe Award), Jose Borregales (Lou Groza Award), Lou Hedley (Ray Guy Award), Brevin Jordan (John Mackey Award), D’Eriq King (Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award) and Jaelan Phillips (Bednarik Award) were all named semifinalists for major awards in a joint release.
Bolden, who has emerged as one of Miami’s top playmakers in the secondary, leads the Hurricanes with 52 total tackles, including four tackles for loss, in 2020. The Las Vegas native has added a team-high four forced fumbles and one interception, and is the lone representative from the ACC. He was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week twice this year.
Borregales, who transferred to Miami from crosstown FIU prior to this season, has stabilized the Hurricanes’ kicking game with a dominant year. The Miami native has converted 17 of 19 field goal attempts this year and has connected on all 34 of his extra point attempts. Borregales, a Groza finalist in 2018, is second in career field goals made among active FBS kickers.
Hedley has guided the Hurricanes to a No. 2 ranking in net punting in FBS during a dominant redshirt junior season. The Mandurah, Australia native, who is averaging 47.2 yards per punt, ranks in the top five in FBS in punting and has a long punt of 60 yards this year. Hedley is in his second season as Miami’s starting punter.
For the second straight year, Jordan was named a semifinalist for the nation’s top tight end honor. The Las Vegas native has posted 24 catches for 340 yards and four touchdowns this year despite missing three games over the course of the season. A first-team All-ACC selection and Mackey Award finalist a season ago, Jordan had his best performance of the year in a win at Louisville, when he had seven catches for 120 yards with one touchdown.
King has been one of the top playmakers in the nation in his first season at The U. King has thrown for 2,234 yards and 20 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions, and has completed 64.0 percent of his passes this year. A dynamic dual threat quarterback, King is averaging 4.2 yards per rush and has totaled 467 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Phillips has emerged as one of the nation’s premier pass rushers in a breakout season. The California native, who missed all of 2019 while redshirting and recovering from injury, leads the Hurricanes with 7.5 sacks and is tied with teammate Quincy Roche for team-high 14 tackles for loss. Phillips is one of just 10 players in FBS with more than 10 tackles for loss this season.
The Hurricanes (8-1, 7-1 ACC) next host No. 20/20 North Carolina (7-3, 6-3 ACC) in a matchup at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Dec. 12. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
