McDermott Latest Cane Included on Watch Lists

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami Hurricanes senior Shane McDermott is one of 66 centers named to the 2014 Rimington Trophy Fall Watch List, released Tuesday by the trophy’s selection committee. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate center in NCAA Division I FBS.

McDermott is one of seven ACC centers on the list and is joined by Florida State’s Austin Barron, Boston College’s Andy Gallik, Clemson’s Ryan Norton, Pitt’s Artie Rowell, Duke’s Matt Skura and Louisville’s Jake Smith. He is also the fourth Miami Hurricane named to a major award preseason watch list, joining Duke Johnson (Maxwell Award), Stacy Coley (Maxwell Award) and Denzel Perryman (Bednarik Award).

The Lake Worth, Fla., native started 11 games at center in 2013 for the Hurricanes. A third-team All-ACC selection by the league’s head coaches, he helped anchor the offensive line that paved the way for a Hurricanes offense that averaged 425.8 yards of total offense and 33.8 points per game.

Miami’s Brett Romberg won the Rimington Trophy in 2002 after contributing the Miami’s 34-game winning streak from 2000-2002. He never allowed a sack at center and led an offensive line that helped produce three 1,000-yard rushers – James Jackson, Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee.

The winner of the Rimington Trophy is selected by determining the consensus All-America center pick from three prestigious All-America teams: Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). The Rimington Trophy presentation will be held Jan. 17, 2015, at Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Neb.

The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in FBS. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised more than $2.5 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The 15-year-old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $100 million for CF Research.

Miami (9-4, 5-3 ACC) opens the 2014 season Sept. 1 against new ACC member Louisville at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Secure your seats to Miami’s home games vs. Florida State and North Carolina (Homecoming) today with a Two-Game Mini-Plan. Plans start at just $108 and include the same seat to both games plus a complimentary hat ($30 value). For more information or to order online, visit CanesTix.com.

The University of Miami has launched the $7 million Football Victory Fund to address the most important needs of the football program. There are a variety of ways to contribute to the Football Victory Fund as well as to Hurricanes Athletics. For more information on how you can donate and details of the pending projects, please call the Hurricane Club at 305-284-6699 or visit umvictoryfund.com. 
 
For the latest information on the Miami Hurricanes, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, @CanesFootball, or visit our web site at HurricaneSports.com.