honors – Syndication Server

3 Saints special teams aces recognized by Bill Belichick

New Orleans Saints players J.T. Gray, Anfernee Orji and Rashid Shaheed all made Bill Belichick’s first midseason team as standouts on special teams:

Former New England Patriots coach and eight-time Super Bowl champ Bill Belichick has quickly transitioned into the media landscape, with plenty of outlets competing for some of his time. His latest project is developing essentially an All-Pro Team halfway through the season called the All-Belichick Midseason Team.

The New Orleans Saints are represented three times on that list, all of whom play on special teams. J.T. Gray, Anfernee Orji and Rashid Shaheed all made the cut.

This is a major look for Orji. The young linebacker is looking to make a name in this league, and appearing on an All-NFL team created by the greatest coach of all time is certainly one way to do it. Belichick specifically highlighted Orji’s kickoff return coverage, even though Orji made it on the punt team. His 5 special teams tackles are among the most in the NFL.

Gray is a former All-Pro player on special teams. Coach called Gray, “a productive player ever since he’s came in the league.” He’s tied for the league lead with 7 special teams tackles, plus a blocked punt.

There were two kick returners on the team, and Shaheed was paired on this list with Cowboys’ returner KaVontae Turpin. Unfortunately, Shaheed’s injury will keep him from making the All-Pro team at the end of the season. His inclusion on this list shows you his trajectory, returning one punt for a touchdown in his six games this year.

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All-Time Gators Men’s Basketball Bio: Tony Miller (1970-73)

Tony Miller’s tenure at UF came just after Neal Walk had left in 1969 and the center from Indiana filled those massive shoes admirably.

Tony Miller (1970-73) – Guard

Tony Miller is a mostly unknown name among the greats of Florida men’s basketball. Hailing from a much different era along with the fact that he never played pro ball has rendered him a distant memory in the psyche of the Gator Nation. That said, he was not exactly chopped liver, either.

Miller’s tenure at Florida came just after legendary Neal Walk had left Gainesville in 1969 and the guard from Indiana filled those massive shoes admirably, leading the Gators in scoring all three years he played.

The 6-foot-one Miller also led the SEC with an average of 26.7 points per game during the 1971–72 season, a year that included his program-record 54 points in a single game that came against Chicago State at Florida Gym. Miller also holds the current best mark for points in a road match, scoring 39 against Auburn that same season — mind you, all coming in an era before the shot clock and the three-point line.

Miller achieved many accolades as a Gator, including a first-team All-SEC selection, serving as senior team captain, earning Academic All-American honors and receiving an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. He is also a member of the Florida Athletic Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Legends of SEC Basketball in 1999.

Despite some promising prospects at the professional level, Miller decided to forgo the NBA Draft in 1973 to attend medical school at the University of Illinois-Chicago, taking a keen interest in orthopedic medicine due to a broken hand he suffered just before he set his scoring record the year prior. He returned to Indiana to practice as a foot surgeon outside of Indianapolis, where he still works full-time to this day.

Cameron Jordan’s four-sack Thanksgiving earns NFC Defensive Player of the Week

New Orleans Saints DE Cameron Jordan’s four-sack game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had one of the biggest games of his career on Thanksgiving against the Atlanta Falcons, and that prime-time performance earned him recognition as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. It’s just the second time he’s won this award in his NFL career, having previously done so in Week 6 of the 2017 season (when he sacked Detroit Lions passer Matthew Stafford twice, and intercepted his own deflected pass for a touchdown catch).

Jordan sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan four times on the night (a personal-best single-game mark) and closed out the game with his fourth sack on Atlanta’s final play, leading the Saints to a 26-18 victory and clinching New Orleans’ third consecutive NFC South title.

The Saints’ defensive captain now ranks second in team history for sacks (85), and second in the NFL (13.5), with four games left to play. His 18 sacks of Ryan are the most of any other player the Falcons quarterback has faced.

But don’t expect Jordan to celebrate this accomplishment for too long. He’s dialed in on his next opponent (the 10-2 San Francisco 49ers) and won’t divulge whether he shares the opinion of his teammates, that 20 sacks is within reach. Jordan told Mike Triplett of ESPN that, “I’ve never said anything other than I want a Super Bowl. I don’t care about personal accolades. I’m gunning for everything and plus some. As long as my D-line is playing good and my defense is playing better, I couldn’t care less about myself.”

That said, Jordan isn’t ruling out the possibility of becoming a 20-sack man. “If it happens, then more the merrier this offseason,” he added.

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UT News: November 27, 2019

We have reached the middle of the week — and also the day before Thanksgiving — which means football is in the air, as the Volunteers gear up for their final regular-season game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Vols have been on a roll in the athletics realm, but they have also excelled in the classroom as well. Speaking of doing well, the Lady Vols basketball team continues to roll along after defeating the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions last night, and their coach had a few things to say about the hot start. The hottest of them all might be quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, but let us discuss the academic accolades first.

Record four Vols make academic all-district team

The Tennessee Volunteers have scored big in the classroom, with four football players earning CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team honors — the most among Power 5 programs.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Brandon Kennedy, redshirt junior offensive lineman Ryan Johnson, junior defensive lineman Matthew Butler and sophomore punter/kicker Paxton Brooks were selected by CoSIDA in District 3 this month for their combined excellence both in athletics and academics. The four are also eligible for Academic All-American honors as well.

Johnson received his second consecutive selection — only the third Vol ever to earn the feat, with Parker Henry and Peyton Manning being the only other two. Overall, Tennessee now has 32 all-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

NEXT: Coach Harper breaks the Lady Vols down

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