Three Canes named preseason All-ACC, role change for DE veteran and more practice notes

8/2/2023
The Atlantic Coast Conference released its preseason All-ACC team on Wednesday and three Hurricanes were selected. All three have been nominated for national awards.
Safety Kamren Kinchens, offensive lineman Javion Cohen and kicker Andres Borregales were the All-ACC honorees, as selected by the league’s media.
Borregales, a junior out of Hialeah Champagnat Catholic, was also one of 30 place kickers on Wednesday nominated for the Lou Groza Award that goes to the nation’s top kicker at the end of the season.
Borregales was one of 20 semifinalists last year for the Groza after hitting 17 of 20 field-goal attempts and nailing all 32 extra-point attempts. He finished 4 for 5 on kicks between 40 and 49 yards.
His older brother, Jose, won the Groza Award for the Hurricanes in 2020 and now kicks for the Orlando Guardians of the XFL. Jose was the first kicker in MIami history to win the award, and said on the ESPN broadcast that night: “I trust in my brother, and I know he’s going to do better than I did.’’
Andres posted this on Twitter after big brother got his award: “World’s Proudest little bro. No words can describe my emotions right now!! You set a goal and reached it. Now it’s my turn to keep my head down and work.’’
Kinchens, Cohen
Kinchens was also named the previous day to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which honors the top defensive player in college football at season’s end. Javion Cohen, now playing left guard for the Canes, was named Tuesday to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which honors the best interior lineman in college football.
Kinchens, a junior, was named to several All-American teams last season after leading UM with 59 tackles, six interceptions, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. His six picks tied several players for third nationally. Only two players — Marcus Fuqua of Buffalo and Decorian Patterson of Middle Tennessee had seven.
Cohen, a fourth-year junior transfer out of Alabama, was a second-team All-SEC player who started 22 games with the Crimson Tide during the past two seasons and allowed no sacks last year. He is considered one of the top linemen in the nation.
Role changes
Hurricanes defensive end Jahfari Harvey, a 6-4, 247-pound fifth-year junior, said he loves the new defense under new coordinator Lance Guidry, and said he will be dropping back in coverage more this season and will be showing his “versatility” more “at the Jack position.’’
“I like it. More stand-up, two-point,” he said.
Harvey said sophomore end Nyjalik Kelly, freshman Jayden Wayne and redshirt freshman Cyrus Moss are also in the Jack role.
When asked about the depth on the D-line and how many guys might be rotating, Harvey said, “We got a lot of guys. Me, Nyjalik Kelly, Chantz Williams, Akheem Mesidor and in the middle Branson Deen, Jared-Harrison Hunte... We got a lot of guys, so we can keep rotating and stay fresh.’’
It’s hot
▪ Like Tuesday, when Miami opened fall camp, the Hurricanes spent the first half of practice inside the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility before heading outside for the last part. By late morning, just before noon, it had reached 89 degrees and felt about 100.
How was the team energy?
“It was great,’’ Harvey said. “The sun was blazing outside, but we stayed with good energy. Man, it was like we had enough for the whole day. But it’s to our advantage.’’
▪ Redshirt freshman safety Markeith Williams was back at practice Wednesday after missing at least the indoor portion of media availability Tuesday.
▪ Seen in the distance working by himself at the far side of field was 6-0, 215-pound redshirt freshman running back TreVonte’ Citizen, who missed all of last season after tearing the ACL of his right knee in preseason camp.
▪ True freshman quarterback Emory Williams, who has excelled since he arrived as an early enrollee for spring practice, was especially sharp Wednesday in a drill in which quarterbacks aim for one of three red-rimmed square targets within a large net. Williams hit the middle square from about 15-20 yards in all three attempts.