Press release from MSUSpartans.com:
Allen Headlines Rimington Trophy Watch List
The USA TODAY All-American was named one of six finalists for the 2014 Rimington Trophy.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State fifth-year senior and USA TODAY All-American Jack Allen has been named to the 2015 watch list for the Rimington Trophy, presented to college football’s most outstanding center since 2000. Allen, who heads into his fourth season as a starter on the Spartan offensive line, was selected as one of six finalists for the 2014 Rimington Trophy.
In addition to Allen, the 63-player watch list features five other Big Ten centers, including Iowa’s Austin Blythe, Ohio State’s Jacoby Boren, Penn State’s Angelo Mangiro, Purdue’s Robert Kugler and Wisconsin’s Dan Voltz.
The 6-foot-2, 296-pound Allen earned first-team All-Big Ten (by both the league’s head coaches and media) and first-team USA TODAY All-America honors as a junior in 2014. He emerged as the first Spartan center to land on the All-Big Ten First Team since Jason Strayhorn in 1998. Allen became the first Michigan State offensive lineman to earn first-team All-America honors since 1997: tackle Flozell Adams (Walter Camp Football Foundation) and guard Scott Shaw(Gannett News Service). In addition, he became just the fourth center in Spartan history to earn first-team All-America honors, joining Dick Tamburo (1952), Dan Currie (1957) and Dave Behrman (1962).
Allen also was named All-American by The Associated Press (third team), Athlon Sports (fourth team), Phil Steele (fourth team) and SI.com (honorable mention). In addition, he received MSU’s Up Front Award as the team’s outstanding offensive lineman.
The Hinsdale, Illinois, native led the team with 18.5 dominators and ranked second with a career-best 85.5 knockdowns in 2014. Allen, started 11 of MSU’s 13 games at center (missed the Wyoming and Indiana games with an ankle injury), didn’t allow a sack all season. The offensive line allowed just 11 sacks, which ranked as the fewest in the Big Ten and tied for third-fewest in the NCAA FBS.
Allen anchored the line for the most prolific offense in school history, as the Spartans set school single-season records for points (559), total offense (6,510 yards; 500.8 yards per game), offensive touchdowns (70), rushing touchdowns (44), scoring average (43.0 points per game), rushing yards (3,057) and first downs (321). MSU ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring, averaging a school-record 43.0 points per game. The Spartans also ranked second in the Big Ten and 11th in the NCAA FBS in total offense, averaging a school-record 500.8 yards per game. In addition, MSU ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in passing offense (265.6 ypg.) and fifth in the Big Ten and 19th in the FBS in rushing offense (235.3 ypg.).The offensive line paved the way for Jeremy Langford, who closed out his career with a school-record streak of 10 consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
“Jack Allen is defined by his toughness, grit and never-give-into-defeat attitude,” MSU offensive line coach Mark Staten said. “His ability to lead our offense allowed MSU to break nearly every school record during his junior season. Others put up the statistical numbers and earned the headlines, but it doesn’t matter to Jack who gets the credit as long as his team is on the winning side of the score at the end of the game. Since his sophomore year and MSU’s Big Ten title run in 2013, Jack has understood that our offense relies on his energy and leadership in the huddle.
“He is a complete-team guy and it doesn’t stop on game days. Jack’s an outstanding student, with a 3.5-plus grade-point average in hospitality business, and he’s been involved in numerous community service projects, reading to school children and visiting the local hospital. He enjoys volunteering his time to help have a positive impact on others.
“Jack has spent the two previous offseasons studying video of NFL centers to help him gain an edge. Already a first-team All-American as a junior, he has the work ethic, passion and patience to become the most outstanding center in college football.”
He was named to AP’s and SI.com’s All-Bowl Teams after MSU gained 552 total yards, including 238 yards on the ground, as the Spartans rallied from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 42-41 victory over fifth-ranked Baylor in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic.
Allen was selected Spartan Offensive Player of the Week after producing six knockdowns, including two dominators, in MSU’s 34-10 victory in the regular-season finale at Penn State. It marked MSU’s largest margin of victory ever at State College, and the 34 points also were the most scored by a Spartan team at Penn State.
He compiled a career-best 12.5 knockdowns in the win over Michigan, including four dominators. In the Big Ten opener vs. No. 19 Nebraska, Allen recorded a team-best nine knockdowns. He was named the Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week vs. Eastern Michigan after leading the team with nine knockdowns as MSU rushed for 336 yards against the Eagles.
A three-year starter on the offensive line, Allen has played in 36 career games, including 35 starts (30 at center, five at left guard). He has registered 207.5 career knockdowns.
The award is named in honor of Dave Rimington, a two-time first-team All-American (1981 and ’82) at Nebraska who also became the only two-time winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation’s finest interior lineman.
Finalists for the award will be identified on Dec. 7, with the winner announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10 in Atlanta, Georgia. The formal presentation of the Rimington Trophy will be made on Jan. 16, 2016, in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Allen Headlines Rimington Trophy Watch List
The USA TODAY All-American was named one of six finalists for the 2014 Rimington Trophy.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State fifth-year senior and USA TODAY All-American Jack Allen has been named to the 2015 watch list for the Rimington Trophy, presented to college football’s most outstanding center since 2000. Allen, who heads into his fourth season as a starter on the Spartan offensive line, was selected as one of six finalists for the 2014 Rimington Trophy.
In addition to Allen, the 63-player watch list features five other Big Ten centers, including Iowa’s Austin Blythe, Ohio State’s Jacoby Boren, Penn State’s Angelo Mangiro, Purdue’s Robert Kugler and Wisconsin’s Dan Voltz.
The 6-foot-2, 296-pound Allen earned first-team All-Big Ten (by both the league’s head coaches and media) and first-team USA TODAY All-America honors as a junior in 2014. He emerged as the first Spartan center to land on the All-Big Ten First Team since Jason Strayhorn in 1998. Allen became the first Michigan State offensive lineman to earn first-team All-America honors since 1997: tackle Flozell Adams (Walter Camp Football Foundation) and guard Scott Shaw(Gannett News Service). In addition, he became just the fourth center in Spartan history to earn first-team All-America honors, joining Dick Tamburo (1952), Dan Currie (1957) and Dave Behrman (1962).
Allen also was named All-American by The Associated Press (third team), Athlon Sports (fourth team), Phil Steele (fourth team) and SI.com (honorable mention). In addition, he received MSU’s Up Front Award as the team’s outstanding offensive lineman.
The Hinsdale, Illinois, native led the team with 18.5 dominators and ranked second with a career-best 85.5 knockdowns in 2014. Allen, started 11 of MSU’s 13 games at center (missed the Wyoming and Indiana games with an ankle injury), didn’t allow a sack all season. The offensive line allowed just 11 sacks, which ranked as the fewest in the Big Ten and tied for third-fewest in the NCAA FBS.
Allen anchored the line for the most prolific offense in school history, as the Spartans set school single-season records for points (559), total offense (6,510 yards; 500.8 yards per game), offensive touchdowns (70), rushing touchdowns (44), scoring average (43.0 points per game), rushing yards (3,057) and first downs (321). MSU ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring, averaging a school-record 43.0 points per game. The Spartans also ranked second in the Big Ten and 11th in the NCAA FBS in total offense, averaging a school-record 500.8 yards per game. In addition, MSU ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in passing offense (265.6 ypg.) and fifth in the Big Ten and 19th in the FBS in rushing offense (235.3 ypg.).The offensive line paved the way for Jeremy Langford, who closed out his career with a school-record streak of 10 consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
“Jack Allen is defined by his toughness, grit and never-give-into-defeat attitude,” MSU offensive line coach Mark Staten said. “His ability to lead our offense allowed MSU to break nearly every school record during his junior season. Others put up the statistical numbers and earned the headlines, but it doesn’t matter to Jack who gets the credit as long as his team is on the winning side of the score at the end of the game. Since his sophomore year and MSU’s Big Ten title run in 2013, Jack has understood that our offense relies on his energy and leadership in the huddle.
“He is a complete-team guy and it doesn’t stop on game days. Jack’s an outstanding student, with a 3.5-plus grade-point average in hospitality business, and he’s been involved in numerous community service projects, reading to school children and visiting the local hospital. He enjoys volunteering his time to help have a positive impact on others.
“Jack has spent the two previous offseasons studying video of NFL centers to help him gain an edge. Already a first-team All-American as a junior, he has the work ethic, passion and patience to become the most outstanding center in college football.”
He was named to AP’s and SI.com’s All-Bowl Teams after MSU gained 552 total yards, including 238 yards on the ground, as the Spartans rallied from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 42-41 victory over fifth-ranked Baylor in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic.
Allen was selected Spartan Offensive Player of the Week after producing six knockdowns, including two dominators, in MSU’s 34-10 victory in the regular-season finale at Penn State. It marked MSU’s largest margin of victory ever at State College, and the 34 points also were the most scored by a Spartan team at Penn State.
He compiled a career-best 12.5 knockdowns in the win over Michigan, including four dominators. In the Big Ten opener vs. No. 19 Nebraska, Allen recorded a team-best nine knockdowns. He was named the Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week vs. Eastern Michigan after leading the team with nine knockdowns as MSU rushed for 336 yards against the Eagles.
A three-year starter on the offensive line, Allen has played in 36 career games, including 35 starts (30 at center, five at left guard). He has registered 207.5 career knockdowns.
The award is named in honor of Dave Rimington, a two-time first-team All-American (1981 and ’82) at Nebraska who also became the only two-time winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation’s finest interior lineman.
Finalists for the award will be identified on Dec. 7, with the winner announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10 in Atlanta, Georgia. The formal presentation of the Rimington Trophy will be made on Jan. 16, 2016, in Lincoln, Nebraska.
