Blackledge Named To Rimington Watch List
Blackledge, a 2007 senior, has started 18 consecutive games for the Bulldogs, including all 12 at center last season. Blackledge has been on the field for every snap in 14 games, and sat out only 17 offensive plays all last season.
Blackledge joins eight nominees from the Southeastern Conference, and is one of 46 players nationwide named to the list.
The eight year old trophy has had previous recipients of 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. Dave 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-America center pick from four existing All-America Teams:
American Football Coaches Association
Walter Camp Foundation
Sporting News
Football Writers Association of America
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 an awards banquet at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Nebraska in January of 2008.