May 19, 2015
THE FLATS — Georgia Tech redshirt junior center Freddie Burden was one of 50 players named to the 2015 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List, released Tuesday by the Rimington Trophy Committee.
The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in FBS. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised more than $2.6 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The 14-year-old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $115 million for CF Research.
Burden is one of four ACC centers on the list. He’s joined by Clemson’s Ryan Norton, North Carolina’s Lucas Crowley, and Pittsburgh’s Alex Officer.
The Statesboro, Ga., native earned 2014 All-ACC honorable mention after starting all 14 games at center for the Yellow Jackets. He was part of Georgia Tech’s offensive line that allowed just 0.79 sacks per game (first in ACC, second nationally), while helping the Jackets lead the nation in rushing offense with a school-record 342.1 yards per game and 4,789 rushing yards.
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.
While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee used these three prestigious teams to determine a winner:
- Walter Camp Foundation (WCF)
- Sporting News (SN)
- 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 four 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, Neb., on Jan. 16, 2016.
2015 Georgia Tech season tickets are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets in person at the Georgia Tech Ticket Office (M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m.), by phone at 888-TECH-TIX, or online at togetherweswarm.com. Season tickets for Tech’s seven-game home schedule start at just $245 — a value of $35 per game. Great lower-level seats are available from $350. There is no per-game ticket or Tech Fund price increase in 2015. The only difference is the addition of a seventh home game (Georgia).
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