By: Richard Skinner
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Centers from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky, along with a Covington Catholic High School graduate now playing center at Western Kentucky University have made the initial watch list for the Rimington Award.
The award is named in honor of former Bengals center Dave Rimington and is presented to Division I-A college football's most outstanding center.
There are 60 centers on the initial watch list, including UC senior Deyshawn Bond; Ohio State senior Pat Elflein; UK senior Jon Toth and CovCath grad Max Halpin, who is a senior at Western Kentucky.
Alabama's Ryan Kelly, a Lakota West High School graduate, won the award last year. He was a first-round selection of the Indianapolis Colts in April's NFL Draft.
The winner of the Rimington Trophy is selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from three existing All-America Teams: .
- Walter Camp Foundation
- Sporting News
- Football Writers Association of America
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 most second team votes will win. If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by the Rimington Trophy committee.
The winner will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 8.
Click here for this year's watch list and more about the award.
Here is a look at the schedule of preseason watch lists to be released:
- Tues., July 5: Maxwell Award/Bednarik Award
- Wed., July 6: Mackey Award / Rimington Trophy
- Thurs., July 7: Lou Groza Award / Ray Guy Award
- Fri., July 8: Bronko Nagurski Trophy / Outland Trophy
- Mon., July 11: Jim Thorpe Award
- Tues., July 12: Butkus Award / Rotary Lombardi Award
- Wed., July 13: Biletnikoff Award / Wuerffel Trophy
- Thurs, July 14: Davey O'Brien Award / Doak Walker Award
- Fri., July 15: Walter Camp Award / Paul Hornung Award