Tag: rimington award

Ferguson, Laloulu makes respective preseason watch lists in 2024

Tight end Terrance Ferguson and center Iapani Laloulu makes respective preseason watch lists for their positions in 2024.

It wouldn’t be a preseason watch list without at least one Oregon Duck on it.

Duck tight end Terrance Ferguson was selected to the preseason watch list for the 2024 John Mackey Award and offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu was named to the watch list for the 2024 Rimington Trophy.

The Mackey Award is presented to the nation’s top tight end, while the Rimington Trophy honors college football’s most outstanding center, which Laloulu will be playing for Oregon for the first time this season.

Ferguson enters 2024 with 91 career receptions, tied for fourth-most all-time by an Oregon tight end and just 33 away from the program record of 124 that was set by Ed Dickson. Ferguson’s 13 career touchdown receptions are tied for third-most by an Ducks tight end, and he is just two back of the program record of  Josh Wilcox’s 15.

The current tight end was a first-team all-Pac-12 selection in 2023, tying for the second-most receptions in a season with a career-high 42. He racked up 414 receiving yards and six touchdowns, tied for sixth-most among all FBS tight ends. Five of Ferguson’s six touchdowns came in the final six games, including a pair of TD grabs in the Pac-12 Championship Game against Washington.

Georgia’s Brock Bowers won last year’s Mackey Award for the second time.

Laloulu, known as Poncho to his teammates, is expected to take over as Oregon’s starting center following the departure of Jackson Powers-Johnson, who in 2023 became the first Duck and first Pac-12 player to win the Rimington Trophy. Laloulu was a 247Sports true freshman all-American while playing in all 14 games for the Ducks.

He made his first career start at center in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against Liberty. Showing his versatility, Laloulu played 413 total snaps as a freshman, including 183 at right guard, 116 at left guard and 111 at center, while helping the Ducks lead the nation with just five sacks allowed.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson named as Rimington Award finalist

Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson named as Rimington Award finalist

When the Oregon Ducks football season started, one of the question marks on the team was the offense line. The talent was there, but not the experience.

That question was answered fairly quickly as the line was outstanding and like every play, it all started with center Jackson Powers-Johnson.

Oregon’s center was announced as one of three finalists for the 2023 Rimington Trophy on Monday morning by the Rimington Trophy Committee. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in college football.

Powers-Johnson is joined by Drake Nugent (Michigan) and Sedrick Van Pran (Georgia) as finalists for the award. He becomes the third Duck to be named a Rimington Trophy finalist, joining Duck legends Hroniss Grasu (2013 & 2014) and Max Unger (2008).

In his first year as Oregon’s starting center, Powers-Johnson has helped the Ducks lead the nation in fewest sacks allowed of five for the second season in a row.

Quarterback Bo Nix has been the beneficiary of Powers-Johnson and the entire offensive line’s talent by staying upright and being able to do his thing. Powers-Johnson leads all FBS centers in pass-blocking grade (91.3), overall grade (83.2) and run-blocking grade (83.1) by PFF. He has allowed just one total pressure in 471 pass-blocking opportunities and has not given up a sack.

The Draper, Utah, native was twice named the Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week during the regular season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Four Notre Dame linemen named to Lombardi Award watch list

The Lombardi Award has quite the interesting recent history.

The Lombardi Award has quite the interesting recent history. Given to the college football lineman who best embodies the late great Vince Lombardi, the award’s eligibility was expanded to all positions from 2017 to 2020. The award reverted to its original eligibility in 2021, and Notre Dame is benefiting from that in 2022. That’s because four Irish players have been named to the watch list for the award.

Not only is the winner the best player at his position, but he also best reflects Lombardi’s character. The Irish undoubtedly are happy that they will go into the season with four chances to net the sixth Lombardi Award in program history. [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag] was the Irish’s last winner in 2012, so they definitely are overdue for another one.

The award can be presented to a lineman on either side of the ball, and since tight ends also can be blockers, they are eligible for the award, too. Keep that in mind as we look at the Irish players on the list:

Notre Dame offensive lineman makes prestigious watch list

Notre Dame center Jarrett Patterson makes the Rimington Award watch list, an award given to the best center in the nation.

[jwplayer 6GSWzPT8]

The vaunted Irish offensive line has gotten plenty of publicity this season and rightfully so. When you don’t hear a lineman’s name being called on a Saturday, it’s usually a good thing. Today, center Jarrett Patterson has been named to the Rimington Award Watch list.

The award is given out annually to the nation’s top center, and if Patterson was to win the honor, he would be the first Notre Dame center to win since it’s inception in 2000.

Typically, watch lists are released prior to the season, but due to obvious circumstances, their committee waited. Hopefully, Patterson continues to be on their last as they whittle it down later in the season.

Notre Dame offensive lineman makes prestigious watch list

Notre Dame center Jarrett Patterson makes the Rimington Award watch list, an award given to the best center in the nation.

The vaunted Irish offensive line has gotten plenty of publicity this season and rightfully so. When you don’t hear a lineman’s name being called on a Saturday, it’s usually a good thing. Today, center Jarrett Patterson has been named to the Rimington Award Watch list.

The award is given out annually to the nation’s top center, and if Patterson was to win the honor, he would be the first Notre Dame center to win since it’s inception in 2000.

Typically, watch lists are released prior to the season, but due to obvious circumstances, their committee waited. Hopefully, Patterson continues to be on their last as they whittle it down later in the season.

Why Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz is good fit for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks could look for a new starting center in the 2020 NFL draft, and Wisconsin’s Tyler Biadasz would be an ideal fit.

The Seattle Seahawks have long sought continuity on the offensive line, something they are really going to struggle to demonstrate in 2020.

Left tackle Duane Brown isn’t going anywhere, but left guard Mike Iupati and right tackle Germain Ifedi are both unrestricted free agents, along with backup tackle George Fant.

Additionally, backup center Joey Hunt is a restricted free agent and starting center Justin Britt and right guard D.J. Fluker could both find themselves released in order to clear cap space.

The team does have a plethora of young offensive line talent, including Ethan Pocic, Jamarco Jones and Phil Haynes, but they’ll need to explore either the free agent market or the NFL draft if they want to create a strong enough position group to protect Russell Wilson next season.

If they do decide to look for upgrades at center, one option in the draft is Wisconsin’s Tyler Biadasz.

Biadasz won the Rimington Award for the best center in the college ranks last season, while anchoring Wisconsin’s exceptional running game all year.

A shoulder injury prevented him from participating in combine drills, and will likely stop him from participating at the school’s Pro Day as well. However, his high football IQ, excellence as a run blocker, balance and footwork have many believing he could be an immediate starter in the NFL.

If the Seahawks are willing to use a Day 2 draft pick on Biadasz, he would likely be the frontrunner to start at center (assuming Britt is cut) and would push Pocic to a guard position.

The line is going to look a lot different in 2020, but some smart drafting and a free agent or two could improve this unit, and Wilson’s performance, as this team looks to once again contend for a deep playoff run.

[lawrence-related id=57162]