The American Athletic Conference on Wednesday announced its award-winners for the 2021 college football season.
The University of Cincinnati dominated the list, as head coach Luke Fickell was named AAC Coach of the Year for the third time (2018, '20, '21), senior quarterback Desmond Ridder earned his second straight AAC Offensive Player of the Year honor, and junior cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner became the first Cincinnati player to be named AAC Defensive Player of the Year.
More:Cincinnati Bearcats stay at No. 4 in latest College Football Playoff rankings
Though the Bearcats were well represented on the All-AAC teams, with 16 players earning either first-team, second-team or honorable mention nods, Houston (12) wasn't far behind.
"Obviously, Houston's a great football team," Fickell said. "This is, to me, as well-balanced a football team as we've played all year, on offense, defense and special teams."
Fickell and the defending AAC champion Bearcats (12-0, 8-0) will get a close look at the Cougars when the two teams square off in the AAC championship game Saturday at Nippert Stadium (4 p.m. on ABC).
AAC championship game:Soon-to-be Big 12 programs Cincinnati, Houston to clash for AAC crown
'There is no speculation':Cincinnati Bearcats coach Luke Fickell on Notre Dame vacancy
Paul Daugherty: It's sadly ironic Luke Fickell is rumored to replace Brian Kelly
Our First Look at the Houston Cougars
RECORD: Houston is 11-1 (8-0 AAC) this season. The Cougars' only loss came in their season-opener at the Houston Texans' NRG Stadium.
In a nationally televised, Texas-sized showdown, Houston jumped out to two separate 14-point leads against in-state foe Texas Tech (6-6), only to watch the Red Raiders score 31 unanswered points en route to a 38-21 victory.
The Cougars have since run through 11 straight opponents, outscoring those teams by a combined 444-200.
RANKING: Houston is No. 21 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. The Cougars are No. 16 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches polls.
HEAD COACH: Dana Holgorsen is the highest-paid coach outside of the Power Five.
Raking in $4 million a year, the 50-year-old Holgorsen is 18-14 in three seasons at Houston since taking over the program after eight years as head coach at West Virginia.
Holgorsen led the Mountaineers to bowl games in seven of his eight seasons, including five straight from 2014-18.
Holgorsen has led the Cougars to their first 11-win season since 2015.
KEY PLAYERS: Offensively, Houston is led by junior quarterback Clayton Tune. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Carrollton, Texas, native is a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which honors the top Division I offensive player with ties to the state of Texas.
Tune earned a spot on the AAC Honor Roll this week after completing 21 of 30 passes for 301 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 45-17 win at Connecticut. It was Tune's eighth career 300-yard passing game.
Over his last seven games, Tune has thrown for 2,029 yards, 19 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Tune went 191 pass attempts without throwing an interception earlier this season. It's the third-longest streak in program history.
Tune's top target is sophomore wide receiver Nathaniel Dell. The first-team All-AAC performer leads the Cougars in receptions (71), receiving yards (1,027) and receiving touchdowns (11).
Houston has one of the top freshmen in the country in running back Alton McCaskill. The AAC Rookie of the Year has 16 rushing touchdowns this season, second most in a single season in program history behind Greg Ward Jr.'s 21 in 2015.
The Conroe, Texas, native, who chose the Cougars over offers from Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, USC and others, also has a receiving touchdown. McCaskill's 17 total scores are tied with Bryce Beall (2008) for the most by a true freshman in program history.
Defensively, Houston has two first-team All-AAC selections roaming its defensive line in 6-foot-3, 249 pound senior David Anenih (3.5 sacks this season) and 6-foot-6, 275-pound junior Logan Hall (5.5 sacks) and a first-team All-AAC safety in Gervarrius Owens (36 total tackles and two interceptions).
The Cougars rank third nationally in sacks per game (3.58). Second-team all-conference defensive lineman Derek Parish has 5.5 sacks this season, while fellow second-team all-AAC selection Donavan Mutin leads the team with 65 total tackles despite missing Houston's last game with a concussion.
But the most dynamic player on the Houston roster is Marcus Jones. The 5-foot-8, 185-pound senior earned a second-team all-conference nod as a cornerback and a first-team All-AAC selection as a return specialist.
Jones, who is tied for the NCAA career lead with nine return touchdowns and leads the nation in interceptions (five), transferred to Houston from Troy in 2019.
SERIES HISTORY: Houston and Cincinnati are meeting for the 28th time, with the Cougars owning a 15-12 advantage. The teams have met six times as members of the AAC (UC leads 4-2).
FUN FACT: Houston leads the nation in blocked kicks (six) and blocked punts (four).
Source link
