Michigan State University Athletics
Jack Allen Named Finalist for Rimington Trophy
12/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. â€" Michigan State fifth-year senior Jack Allen has been named one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding center in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. This marks the second straight year Allen has been named a finalist.
One of the most decorated offensive linemen in school history, Allen earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2015 for the second year in a row. He is only the fifth Spartan on the offensive line to garner first-team All-Big Ten accolades twice (Ellison Kelly, 1957-58; David Behrman, 1961-62; Joe DeLamielleure, 1971-72, Tony Mandarich, 1987-88) and just the second center (Behrman).
A tough, tenacious and versatile lineman, Allen has started 11 games at center for the Spartans in 2015 while helping lead the team to a Big Ten Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff. He started the first six games at center, but missed the Michigan and Indiana games with a lower leg injury he suffered in the Rutgers game in Week 6; he returned to the starting lineup in Week 9 vs. Nebraska. He also played at left tackle vs. Purdue and Rutgers due to injuries along the offensive line.
He graded out at an All-America level in the win over Penn State on Senior Day in his last appearance at Spartan Stadium, leading the team with 10 knockdowns and also rushing for a 9-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The Hinsdale, Illinois, native led the Spartans with nine knockdowns at Ohio State as the Spartans rushed for 203 yards and ended the second-ranked Buckeyes' 23-game winning streak. He was named the Spartan Offensive Player of the Week against Maryland and Central Michigan.
Allen, a 2014 USA TODAY first-team All-American, has played in 47 career games, including 46 starts (41 at center, five at left guard), and has only allowed three career sacks. The co-captain has registered more than 285 career knockdowns and was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation 2015 William V. Campbell Trophy (nation's top scholar-athlete).
"Jack Allen is the heart and soul of our offense," MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. "He's both tough-minded and physically tough, plus he knows all of our calls. Jack has been resilient this season, bouncing back after missing two games with an ankle injury. He's extremely athletic and possesses outstanding strength. Jack is capable of playing any position up front."
Austin Blythe of Iowa and Ryan Kelly of Alabama are the other two finalists.
The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be presented live during the ESPNU Red Carpet Show on Thursday, Dec. 10, immediately preceding the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show. Both shows will originate from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.
The winner of the Rimington Trophy is selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from three existing All-America teams. 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) and the 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.
The winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016. To learn more about the Rimington Trophy or to purchase tickets to the event, please visit www.rimingtontrophy.com.
The Rimington Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast over 700 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
About the Rimington Trophy
The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $2.5 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The 15-year old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $100 million for CF Research. 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 double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman. For more on the Rimington Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com
About the Boomer Esiason Foundation
BEF supports the CF community through scholarships, transplant grants, exercise programs, and educational programs as well as donating money to CF research. To date, BEF has raised over $115 million. Please visit Esiason.org to learn more about our programs, teamboomer.org to join the team, and follow us at facebook.com/BoomerEsiasonFoundation and @cysticfibrosis.
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis is a rare, 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.
