Three Hurricanes named AP All-Americans as UM gets first first-team AP honor since 2004
One year ago, after the University of Miami had one of the worst college seasons for place-kicking that anyone could have imagined, who would have thought that the Hurricanes would have a first-team Associated Press All-American kicker on their team?
On Monday, it happened when the AP named senior Jose Borregales — already one of three national finalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award — to its first team.
Borregales is Miami’s first AP first-team All-American since cornerback Antrel Rolle in 2004. Less than a handful of other Canes have earned first-team All-American honors from other major national outlets since then.
Two other Hurricanes were named Monday as AP second-team All-Americans: defensive end Jaelan Phillips and punter Lou Hedley.
Borregales, a graduate transfer out of FIU, will play his final game as a Hurricane against Oklahoma State at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. He already announced last week that he will declare for the NFL Draft after the bowl — a wise move considering he’s clearly one of college football’s best.
It also helps that Borregales’ younger brother Andres, out of Miami Champagnat Catholic, is one of the top-rated prep kickers in the nation and signed this month to play at UM.
The elder Borregales, who is projected by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. to be the first kicker taken in the NFL Draft, was 18 of 20 on field goals this season, including a school-record-tying 57-yarder at Louisville.
Phillips’ honor
Phillips, a 6-5, 266-pound redshirt junior who transferred to Miami before the 2019 season and opted out of the Cheez-It Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft, also had a tremendous season. Phillips, the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit who originally signed in 2017 with UCLA, was fifth in the nation with 15 1/2 tackles for loss and tied for 11th with eight sacks. He also had an interception, three pass breakups and five quarterback hurries. He is from Redlands, California.
Hedley’s honor
Punter Lou Hedley, a native Australian out of Mandurah, has been a gem since he began playing for Miami in 2019. This season, the tattooed Hedley, one of three national finalists for the Ray Guy Award, has the Hurricanes ranked No. 1 in the nation in net punting at 44.9 net yards a punt. He ranks second in the nation in FBS punting at 47.3 yards a punt.
The Hurricanes are more than thrilled, as Hedley, a redshirt junior, announced recently he will be returning to UM next seaaon.
