PROVO -- BYU offensive lineman Lance Reynolds, Jr. has been named to the Spring watch list for the Dave Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's most outstanding center it was announced this week.
Reynolds, a 6-foot-3, 293-pound senior from Provo switched from linebacker to center in 2003, seeing action on the line against Boise State and UNLV. In 2004, Reynolds started all 11 games at center and will enter Spring Camp as the man to beat at that position. Reynolds' father, Lance, Sr., is the running backs coach and assistant head coach for the Cougars.
Reynolds is one of four returning lineman with starting experience for the Cougars this season, joining Brian Sanders, Eddie Keel and Jake Kuresa.
"We are excited to be heading into our sixth season of recognizing the top center in the nation," said Dave Rimington. "David Baas from Michigan and Ben Wilkerson from LSU were excellent recipients of the award in 2004. This Spring's watch list is packed with solid candidates for 2005."
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 six-year-old trophy 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. Rimington was the only two-time winner of the John Outland Trophy as the nation's premiere college interior lineman.
2005 Spring Rimington Trophy Watch List
Chris Akin, Oklahoma State
Albert Bimper, Colorado State
Tony Bonds, Mississippi
Jesse Boone, Utah
David Castillo, Florida State
JB Closner, Alabama
Ryan Cook, New Mexico
Joe Cope, Auburn
Stephen Culp, TCU
Brent DeLadurantey, Utah State
Mike Degory, Florida
Mike Elgin, Iowa
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
Mark Fenton, Colorado
Jeremy Hines, West Virginia
Joe Kalil, Southern California
Kili Lefotu, Arizona
Todd Londot, Miami (Ohio)
Grayling Love, Arizona State
Kurt Mann, Nebraska
Nick Mangold, Ohio State
Mike McCloskey, UCLA
Chris McNeil, Mississippi State
Nick Milhauser, Washington State
Will Montgomery, Virginia Tech
Chris Morris, Michigan State
Marvin Philip, California
Donovan Raiola, Wisconsin
Lance Reynolds, BYU
Patrick Ross, Boston College
Jason Spitz, Louisville
Marcus Stewart, Louisiana Tech
Russ Tanner, Georgia
Brian Van Acker, Northern Illinois
Chris Yoder, Texas A&M
Kyle Young, Fresno State