North Carolina State University Athletics
Paulsen Named to Rimington Watch List
3/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 31, 2004
DALLAS, Texas - Jed Paulsen, a senior center on the NC State football team was selected to the 2004 Preseason Rimington Watch List on Wednesday. The three-year starter from Columbia, Mo., has led the offensive line in clearing the way for the Wolfpack to lead the ACC in total offense the past two seasons.
Awarded annually to the best center in the country, the Dave Rimington Trophy enters the 2004 season with a strong field of potential stand-out centers.
"We are excited to be heading into our fifth season of recognizing the top center in the nation. Jake Grove from Virginia Tech is an excellent recipient of the award in 2003. This Spring's watch list is packed with solid candidates for 2004," said Dave Rimington. The Rimington Trophy recipient is determined by a consensus of the four All-America teams: The Walter Camp Football Foundation, America Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America, and "The Sporting News."
The five-year old trophy (Nebraska's Dominic Raiola, Ohio State's LeCharles Bentley, Miami's Brett Romberg, and Virginia Tech's Jake Grove are past recipients) is presented by Canon USA and Black & Decker. The award is hosted by the Boomer Esiason Foundation. Esiason, created his foundation in 1993 to support research and treatment of cystic fibrosis. Esiason and Dave Rimington were teammates on the Cincinnati Bengals from 1984-87. Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first team All-America center at Nebraska in 1981 and '82 - years in which he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's premiere college interior lineman.
The Sports Group also developed and directs the Heisman Winners Association (HWA), a limited liability company, which focuses marketing attention and opportunities on the Heisman winners as a collective group. TSG also currently works with and has worked with the John Wooden Award, the Senior CLASS Award, and the Driver of the Year Award as well as a variety of other professional and amateur organizations and companies.
"If I'm sure of nothing else, I know centers are the game's unsung heroes," Esiason declared.
2004 Preseason Rimington Watch List
Mark Bihl, Michigan
Jim Borrieci, Akron
Matt Brock, Oregon State
Jason Brown, North Carolina
Ben Buie, Oklahoma State
Vince Carter, Oklahoma
David Castillo, Florida State
Ryan Cook, New Mexico
Mike Degory, Florida
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
Gene Frederic, Memphis
Jason Glynn, Texas
John Strickland, South Carolina
Jasper Harvey, San Diego State
Jeremy Hines, West Virginia
Richie Icognito, Nebraska
Billy Irwin, Connecticut
Chase Johnson, TCU
Danny Lindsey, Auburn
Todd Londot, Miami (Ohio)
Nick Mangold, Ohio State
Mike McCloskey, UCLA
Chris Morris, Michigan State
Scott Mruczkowsi, Bowling Green
Jed Paulsen, North Carolina State
Marvin Philip, California
Donovan Raiola, Wisconsin
Jason Respert, Tennessee
Joel Rodriguez, Miami
Kyle Schmitt, Maryland
Chris Spencer, Mississippi
Russ Tanner, Georgia
Ben Wilkerson, LSU
Zac Yarbrough, Virginia
Kyle Young, Fresno State
