Jack Allen Named Finalist for Rimington Trophy
12/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State junior Jack Allen has been named one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy, which is presented annually to the most outstanding center in college football.
Along with Allen, the other five finalists are: David Andrews (Sr., Georgia), Reece Dismukes (Sr., Auburn), B.J. Finney (Sr., Kansas State), Andy Gallik (Sr., Boston College) and Hroniss Grasu (Sr., Oregon).
The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be presented live during the ESPNU Red Carpet Show on Thursday, Dec. 11, immediately preceding the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show. Both shows will originate from the Atlantic Dance Hall on Disney's Boardwalk at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
"Jack Allen is extremely tough, strong and athletic," said MSU head coach Mark Dantonio. "Jack has a great understanding of our offensive concepts and plays with sound technique. He's versatile enough to play multiple positions - center as well as the two guard spots. When you have an outstanding center anchoring the line, great things can happen on the offensive side of the football. We're thrilled that he'll be back next year."
A first-team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media, Allen is ranked first on the team with 16.5 dominators and second with 75 knockdowns. The Hinsdale, Illinois, native is the first Spartan center to earn first-team All-Big Ten accolades since Jason Strayhorn in 1998. Allen started 10 of MSU's 12 regular-season games at center (missed the Wyoming and Indiana games with an ankle injury).
Allen is a key reason why Michigan State has allowed the fewest sacks in the Big Ten this season (10), a figure that also ranks tied for third fewest in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. The Spartan offensive line has cleared the way for the Big Ten's second-ranked total offense (496.5 ypg.) and scoring offense (43.1 ppg.). MSU features the No. 1 passing offense in the conference (261.6 ypg.) and the 22nd rushing attack in the FBS (234.9 ypg.) and has already set school records for points (517), offensive touchdowns (64), rushing touchdowns (40) and total offense (5,958 yards).
"Jack Allen is the heartbeat of our offensive line," MSU offensive line coach Mark Staten said. "As a lineman, Jack is the complete package, with the attitude as well as the mental and physical toughness. He plays with a nasty edge, every play, every series and every game."
The 6-foot-2, 299-pound Allen compiled a career-best 12.5 knockdowns in the win over Michigan, including four dominators. In the Big Ten opener vs. No. 19 Nebraska, he recorded a team-best nine knockdowns. He was named the Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week vs. Eastern Michigan after leading the team with nine knockdowns as MSU rushed for 336 yards against the Eagles.
Allen was named the offensive recipient of the Up Front Award at MSU's annual awards banquet, which is given to the team's most outstanding lineman.
A three-year starter on the offensive line, Allen has played in 35 career games, including 34 starts (29 at center, five at left guard).
The winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015.
ABOUT THE RIMINGTON TROPHY
The award is named in honor of Dave Rimington, a two-time first-team All-American (1981 and '82) at Nebraska who also became the only two-time winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation's finest interior lineman.
The Rimington Trophy, which began in 2000, is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 678 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more.
To learn more about the Rimington Trophy, please visit www.rimingtontrophy.com.
SELECTION PROCESS
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). 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.
