Miami's Horn Named to Rimington Trophy Watch List

Horn

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami senior center Tyler Horn has been named to the 2011 Rimington Trophy Watch List, as announced by the Rimington Trophy committee. Horn is one of just 14 returning student-athletes named to the list of 42 who have been recognized as preseason candidates for the award presented to the premier centers in each of the following divisions: FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA.

As a junior in 2010, Horn started all 13 games at center for the Canes and finished the season tied for third on the team in both pancake (39) and lumberjack (7) blocks. A native of Memphis, Tenn., Horn also earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after grading out at 84 percent and recording six pancakes in UM’s 33-10 win over North Carolina on Oct. 23.

After redshirting his freshman season in 2007, Horn has played in 22 games since, including two in 2008, seven in 2009 and all 13 a season ago. He served as the back-up center to A.J. Trump as a sophomore in 2009, seeing time at center against Florida A&M, UCF, Virginia and USF.

While more than a dozen All-America football teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee uses these four prestigious teams – American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of America – to determine a winner.

Because the selectors of these four 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 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 American 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 most second team votes will win. If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by the Rimington Trophy committee.

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 Big Ten and SEC lead all conferences with six players named to the list, while the ACC follows right behind with five.

The winner will be honored at Rimington Trophy Presentation banquet at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Nebraska on January 14, 2012.

Horn and the Hurricanes will open their 2011 season at Maryland on Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

For more information on the trophy and a full listing of the preseason candidates, click here.