Gauthier Picks Up Second Preseason Recognition
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami senior center Tyler Gauthier was named to the watch list for the 2018 Outland Trophy presented by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, annually honoring the most outstanding interior lineman in the nation.
The preseason honor is the second for Gauthier – who was also named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, honoring the nation’s top center – and the eighth major award watch list to include a Hurricane this preseason.
Gauthier started all 13 games at center for the Hurricanes in 2018, extending his personal streak of 17 straight starts on the offensive line that dates to 2016. The Venice, Fla., native helped anchor a Hurricanes offensive line unit that paved the way for 2,090 rushing yards (160.8 yards per game) and 3,153 passing yards (242.5 yards per game). An Honorable Mention All-ACC selection a season ago, Gauthier was one of eight players named to the watch list from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Gauthier joins junior Travis Homer, who was named to the watch list for both the Maxwell Award (college football’s player of the year) and the Doak Walker Award (top running back), senior defensive back Michael Jackson (Thorpe Award as nation’s top defensive back), senior safety Jaquan Johnson (Bednarik Award as nation’s top defensive player, Thorpe Award), junior linebacker Shaq Quarterman (Bednarik Award and Butkus Award as nation’s top linebacker) and junior Ahmmon Richards (Maxwell Award and Biletnikoff Award as nation’s best receiver) as preseason honorees.
This is the first year of a partnership with the NFID to present the Outland Trophy as part of a public awareness campaign focused on the importance of influenza (flu) prevention during the 2018-19 flu season. The award honoring the top interior lineman in college football will continue to be selected by the FWAA membership and has been rebranded as the Outland Trophy presented by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases with a social media hashtag of #FightFlu.
Joe Thomas, the 2006 Outland Trophy winner who retired earlier this year after a stellar 11-year career with NFL’s Cleveland Browns, will serve as the Outland Trophy #FightFlu ambassador. Thomas has been an avid supporter of annual flu vaccines. He will make media appearances on behalf of the #FightFlu public awareness campaign to remind people to get their annual flu shots.
Additionally, Thomas will announce the recipient of the 73rd Outland Trophy during ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 6, live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Werner Enterprises Outland Trophy Awards Dinner produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 9, 2019. Up to seven semifinalists will be named on Nov. 14 in Omaha and three finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 19.
