July 13, 2011
University of South Carolina junior center T.J. Johnson is one of 43 players named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, as announced by the Rimington Trophy committee today.
Johnson, a 6-4, 314-pounder from Aynor, S.C., has started every game for the Gamecocks over the past two seasons, including all 14 games at center in 2010. Last season, he was named first-team All-SEC by Rivals.com and second-team by Phil Steele, while earning second-team All-Sophomore honors by CollegeFootballNews.com. Johnson was one of three Gamecocks named a Harold White GPA Award winner at the 2011 Garnet & Black Spring Game.
While more than a dozen All-America football teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee uses these four prestigious teams to determine a winner: * American Football Coaches Association
* Walter Camp Foundation
* Sporting News
* Football Writers Association of America
Because 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. Our policy is to count all players that play primarily the Center position for their respective teams as Centers, even though they maybe listed as guards or tackles on the four All American 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 most second team votes will win. If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by the Rimington Trophy committee. The winner will be honored at Rimington Trophy Presentation banquet at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Nebraska on January 14, 2012.
