May 2, 2007
Notre Dame fifth-year senior John Sullivan was named Wednesday to the spring watch list of the 2007 Rimington Award, given annually to the nation’s top center. He is one of 46 members of the initial list and is one of 11 players who also made the list in 2006.
Sullivan was approved recently for an extra season of eligibility by Notre Dame’s Faculty Board on Athletics and has started 33 of the last 37 games including 21 consecutive contests. The Greenwich, Conn. native helped block for quarterback Brady Quinn the last three years as Quinn re-wrote the Irish record book for passers. Sullivan also opened holes for running back Darius Walker as he became just the fourth Notre Dame rusher to eclipse 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Walker left Notre Dame after three seasons as the school’s fourth-leading career rusher.
The eight-year old trophy is presented by Canon, Cornhusker Marriott, and Logitech. The award is hosted by the Boomer Esiason Foundation. West Virginia’s Dan Mozes, Minnesota’s Greg Eslinger, Michigan’s David Baas (2004 co-winner), LSU’s Ben Wilkerson (2004 co-winner), Virginia Tech’s Jake Grove, Miami’s Brett Romberg, Ohio State’s LeCharles Bentley, and Nebraska’s Dominic Raiola are past recipients. Esiason created his foundation in 1993 to support research and treatment of cystic fibrosis. Esiason and Dave Rimington were teammates on the Cincinnati Bengals from 1984-87. 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 is selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from four existing All America Teams including:
American Football Coaches Association
Walter Camp Foundation
Sporting News
Football Writers Association of America
The winner will be honored at an awards banquet at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Nebraska in January of 2008.
2007 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List
Kenny Alfred, Washington State, Sophomore, 6’2″, 293 lbs.
Sete Aulai, BYU, Senior, 6’0″, 290 lbs.
Royce Blackledge, Mississippi State, Senior, 6’4″, 293 lbs.
Tim Bond, Wyoming, Junior, 6’4″, 296 lbs.
Jason Bosley, Auburn, Junior, 6’2″, 280 lbs.
Brett Byford, Nebraska, Senior, 6’3″ 300 lbs.
Antoine Caldwell, Alabama, Junior, 6’3″, 288 lbs.
Jim Cordle, Ohio State, Sophomore, 6’5″, 275 lbs.
Mike Dent, West Virginia, Junior, 6’4″, 285 lbs.
Kyle DeVan, Oregon State, Senior, 6’2″, 310 lbs.
Rafael Eubanks, Iowa, Sophomore, 6’3″, 288 lbs.
Robby Felix, UTEP, Junior, 6’3″, 295 lbs.
Dominic Green, Nevada, Junior, 6’3″, 295 lbs.
Blaine Guenther, Air Force, Senior, 6’2″, 270 lbs.
Kyle Gunther, Utah, Senior, 6’4″, 304 lbs.
Antron Harper, Navy, Senior, 5’11”, 272 lbs.
Brett Helms, LSU, Junior, 6’2″, 283 lbs.
Chris Joseph, UCLA, Senior, 6’5″, 282 lbs.
Steve Justice, Wake Forest, Senior, 6’4″, 280 lbs.
Adam Korby, Idaho, Junior, 6’2″, 292 lbs.
Robbie Krutilla, Western Michigan, Senior, 6’3″, 308 lbs.
Doug Legursky, Marshall, Senior, 6’3″, 308 lbs.
Scott Lenahan, North Carolina, Senior, 6’1″, 290 lbs.
Kory Lichtensteiger, Bowling Green, Senior, 6’3″, 300 lbs.
Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas, Junior, 6’4″, 305 lbs.
Alex Mack, California, Junior, 6’5″, 295 lbs.
Tim Mattran, Stanford, Senior, 6’5″, 300 lbs.
Ryan McDonald, Illinois, Junior, 6’5″, 300 lbs.
Josh McNeil, Tennessee, Sophomore, 6’4″, 280 lbs.
Drew Miller, Florida, Senior, 6’5″, 297 lbs.
Trey Miranne, Army, Senior, 6’0″, 273 lbs.
Justin Paysinger, San Jose State, Junior, 6’1″, 295 lbs.
Mike Pollak, Arizona State, Senior, 6’4″, 300 lbs.
Daniel Sanders, Colorado, Junior, 6’3″, 305 lbs.
Blake Schlueter, Texas Christian, Junior, 6’3″, 272 lbs.
Kevin Sheridan, Boston College, Senior, 6’3″, 295 lbs.
A.Q. Shipley, Penn State, Junior, 6’1″, 293 lbs.
Adam Spieker, Missouri, Junior, 6’4″, 310 lbs.
John Sullivan, Notre Dame, Senior, 6’4″, 290 lbs.
Ryan Tonnemacher, Utah State, Junior, 6’3″, 272 lbs.
Lafu Tuioti-Mariner, Hawaii, Junior, 6’0″, 279 lbs.
Kevin Tuminello, Georgia Tech, Senior, 6’4″, 290 lbs.
Cody Wallace, Texas A&M, Senior, 6’4″, 296 lbs.
Ryan Wendell, Fresno State, Senior, 6’2″, 285 lbs.
Austin Wilkinson, Rice, Junior, 6’2″, 270 lbs.
Eric Wood, Louisville, Junior, 6’4″, 301 lbs.
Ben Wyss, Indiana, Senior, 6’1″, 280 lbs.