The Boomer Esiason Foundation announced today that offensive lineman Will Putnam has been named as one of 40 members on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s top center. Additional information from award organizers is included below.
Visit the 2022 Preseason Honors hub for more preseason accolades garnered by Clemson.
New York, NY — The Rimington Trophy is proud to release its 2022 preseason Watchlist. This year, the Trophy committee worked with Pro Football Focus (PFF) to narrow down its list to the top 40 centers. PFF grades every player on every play of every game on how well they execute their given assignment. That play-by-play grading allowed the Trophy committee to create a watchlist based both on nominations from the schools and data provided by PFF. Once the season begins, schools will be able to nominate their centers for late addition based on in-season merit.
The 2022 Rimington Trophy Watchlist is as follows:
Ricky Stromberg, SR, ArkansasNick Brahms, SR, AuburnJacob Ball, GRAD, BaylorConnor Pay, RS SO, BYUMatthew Cindric, SR, CaliforniaWill Putnam, SR, ClemsonWillie Lampkin, JR, Coastal CarolinaKingsley Eguakun, RS SO, FloridaSedrick Van Pran, RS SO, GeorgiaMalik Sumter, RS SR, Georgia StateTrevor Downing, RS SR, Iowa StateMike Novitsky, RS SR, KansasJacob Likes, RS JR, MemphisJakai Clark, JR, MiamiOlu Oluwatimi, GRAD, MichiganJohn Michael Schmitz, SR, MinnesotaLaQuiston Sharp, RS SR, Mississippi StateGrant Gibson, RS GRAD, North Carolina StateJarett Patterson, GRAD, Notre DameLuke Wypler Jr, JR, Ohio StatePreston Wilson, SR JR, Oklahoma StateAlex Forsyth, SR, OregonJake Levengood, RS JR, Oregon StateJuice Scruggs, RS SR, Penn StateGus Hartwig, RS SO, PurdueAlama Uluave, SR, San Diego StateDrake Nugentd, SR, StanfordSteve Avila, SR, TCUBryce Foster, SO, Texas A&MJake Andrews, JR, TroySincere Haynesworth, JR, TulaneWill Rykard, RS JR, UABMatt Lee, RS JR, UCFBrett Neilon, RS SR, USCJohnny Jordan, GRAD, Virginia TechMichael Jurgens, JR, Wake ForestZach Frazier, SO, West VirginiaJacob Gideon, RS SO, Western MichiganJoe Tippman, JR, WisconsinRusty Staats, RS JR, WKU
While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee uses these three prestigious teams to determine a winner:
• Walter Camp Foundation (WCF)• Sporting News (SN)• 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, provided with data from Pro Football Focus.
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About the Rimington TrophyThe Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in NCAA Division I College Football. Since its inception, the award has raised over $5 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation.
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 two-time winner as the nation’s finest college interior lineman. For more on the Rimington Trophy, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com
About the Boomer Esiason FoundationIn 1993, Boomer Esiason’s son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). Boomer and his wife Cheryl founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation to raise funds and awareness for the cystic fibrosis community. To date, the Foundation has raised over $160 million and works to provide educational and financial resources to help people living with CF in the here and now.
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, and reproductive system of about 30,000 Americans by causing a thick build-up of mucus that leads to blockage, inflammation, and infection.
About Pro Football FocusSince 2006, PFF has separated themselves from the pack in their ability to provide game-changing NFL data supported through studying every player, on every player, of every game. In 2014, they began to do so for college football, offering top service for professional and college programs.
About the NCFAAThe Rimington Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. The NCFAA encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
