Texas Tech University Athletics
Jones Named to Rimington Watch List
May 19, 2006 | Football
May 19, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech senior center Brandon Jones (Keizer, Ore./McNary) was selected to the 2006 Rimington Trophy Preseason Watch List, announced Friday by The Sports Group in Dallas. Jones is the first Red Raider named to the preseason in the seven-year history of the Rimington Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate center.
Jones will enter his second season as the starter at center in the fall. During his first season over the ball, Jones helped anchor an offensive line that helped Texas Tech garner its fourth-straight NCAA passing title and produce the most rushing touchdowns for a Tech team since 1996. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Jones was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick following the 2005 season.
The Rimington Trophy spring watch list consists of 39 of college football's top men in the middle and will be updated once prior to the beginning of the season. Five sophomores, 11 juniors and 23 seniors make up the very strong field.
"With only one returning finalist (Dan Mozes, West Virginia) from last season the competition will be wide open which will certainly make for an exciting race," Dave Rimington said. "Center is a very difficult position to evaluate and, of course play, so I wish all of the candidates and their respective teams a successful season."
The seven-year-old trophy is presented by Canon, MidAmerican Energy Holdings, USA and Black & Decker and is hosted by the Boomer Esiason Foundation. Minnesota's Greg Eslinger was last year's honoree. Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first team All-America center at Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's premiere college interior lineman.
The winner of the Rimington Trophy is selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from four existing All-America Teams including:
American Football Coaches AssociationWalter Camp FoundationThe Sporting NewsFootball Writers Association of AmericaBecause the selectors of these four 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 Sports Group'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 four All-American teams.
The winner will be honored at the awards banquet at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Nebraska, in January of 2007.
