The Rimington Trophy Committee has released its 2016 Fall Watch List. After careful consideration during the off-season and spring practices, representatives from Division I football programs across the country submitted nominations to the Rimington Trophy committee and the watch list was created. These athletes are projected to excel at the center position in the upcoming season.
As the season progresses, the committee will continue to watch all players listed below and will announce its finalists on Dec. 5, 2016.
MORE: Check here for full preseason watch lists
While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee used these three prestigious teams to determine a winner: Walter Camp Foundation (WCF), Sporting News (SN) and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
Because the selectors of these three All-America teams can place centers in a "mix" of offensive linemen that includes guards and tackles, their 11- man first teams can often have two centers. The Rimington Trophy committee's policy is to count all players that play primarily the center position for their respective teams as centers, even though they may be listed as guards or tackles on the All- America teams.
The center with the most first team votes will be determined the winner. If there is a tie with first team votes, then the center with the most second team votes will win. If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by a majority vote from the Rimington Trophy committee. The winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska on Jan. 14, 2017.
Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $2.6 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $120 million for the fight against cystic fibrosis. Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.
For more on the Rimington Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com
| Player | School |
|---|---|
| Brian Allen | Michigan State |
| Jonathan Alvarez | Oklahoma |
| Jon Baker | Boston College |
| Jake Bennett | Colorado State |
| Deyshawn Bond | Cincinnati |
| Evan Brown | SMU |
| Freddie Burden | Georgia Tech |
| Nick Clarke | Old Dominion |
| Jamaal Clayborn | Mississippi State |
| Mason Cole | Michigan |
| Robert Conyers | Ole Miss |
| Lucas Crowley | North Carolina |
| Ryan Crozier | UConn |
| Atlantic Dillon DeBoer | Florida |
| Michael Deiter | Wisconsin |
| Alec Eberle | Florida State |
| Pat Elfein | Ohio State |
| Asotui Eli | Hawaii |
| Jason Emerich | Syracuse |
| Arthur Flores | San Diego State |
| Kyle Fuller | Baylor |
| Nathan Goltry | Nevada |
| Jay Guillermo | Clemson |
| Max Halpin | Western Kentucky |
| Alan Knott | South Carolina |
| Will Kreitler | UNLV |
| Brandon Kublanow | Georgia |
| Andy Kwon | Georgia Southern |
| Drew Kyser | Memphis |
| Nicholas Linder | Miami |
| Toa Lobendahn | USC |
| Brad Lundblade | Oklahoma State |
| Steve Matlock | Idaho |
| Jackson Matteo | Virginia |
| Tim McAuliffe | Bowling Green |
| Brendan McGowan | Temple |
| Chandler Miller | Tulsa |
| Gabe Mobley | Georgia State |
| Devin Mondie | Arkansas State |
| Michael Montero | FIU |
| Brendan Moore | Maryland |
| Tony Morales | Texas Tech |
| Will Noble | Houston |
| Alex Officer | Pittsburgh |
| James O’Hagan | Buffalo |
| Tyler Orlosky | West Virginia |
| Ethan Pocic | LSU |
| Frank Ragnow | Arkansas |
| Dalton Risner | Kansas State |
| Joe Scelfo | N.C. State |
| Austin Schlottmann | TCU |
| Coleman Shelton | Washington |
| Riley Sorenson | Washington State |
| Joe Spencer | Illinois |
| Austin Stephens | Utah State |
| Daniel Stephens | Middle Tennessee |
| Coleman Thomas | Tennessee |
| Cameron Tom | Southern Miss |
| Jon Toth | Kentucky |
| Dylan Utter | Nebraska |
| Sean Welsh | Iowa |
