Stevens Named to Rimington Trophy Watch List

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia center Brian Stevens has been named to the 2024 Rimington Trophy Watch List, the Boomer Esiason Foundation announced Friday (Aug. 9). The trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in the nation.

Stevens started in all 12 possible games in 2023, including the last 10 at center. Upon moving to center for the Cavaliers’ third game of the season, it marked his first collegiate action at the position since high school. Stevens was ranked No. 14 among all FBS centers in 2023 – according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) – the highest grade on the team among its offensive lineman. In 498 snaps last season, Stevens only allowed one sack according to PFF. Stevens transferred to UVA from Dayton as a graduate student following his senior season (2022), where he earned back-to-back Stan Kurdziel Memorial trophies, which are annually awarded to the Flyers’ top lineman. 

This year, the Trophy committee worked with PFF to narrow down its list to the top 40 centers. PFF grades every player on every play of every game on how well they execute their given assignment. That play-by-play grading allowed the Trophy committee to create a watchlist based both on nominations from the schools and data provided by PFF. Once the season begins, schools will be able to nominate their centers for late addition based on in-season merit. 

While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee uses these three prestigious teams to determine a winner: 

• Walter Camp Foundation (WCF) 

• Sporting News (SN) 

• Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) 

Because the selectors of these three 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 Rimington Trophy 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 All-America 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 the most second team votes will win. If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by a majority vote from the Rimington Trophy Committee, provided with data from Pro Football Focus.

About the Rimington Trophy
The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in NCAA Division I College Football. Since its inception, the award has raised over $5 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation. 

Dave Rimington, the award’s namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy’s only two-time winner as the nation’s finest college interior lineman. For more on the Rimington Trophy, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com. 

About the Boomer Esiason Foundation
In 1993, Boomer Esiason’s son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). Boomer and his wife Cheryl founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation to raise funds and awareness for the cystic fibrosis community. To date, the Foundation has raised over $160 million and works to provide educational and financial resources to help people living with CF in the here and now. 

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, and reproductive system of about 40,000 Americans by causing a thick build-up of mucus that leads to blockage, inflammation, and infection. 

About Pro Football Focus
Since 2006, PFF has separated themselves from the pack in their ability to provide game-changing data supported through studying every player, on every play, of every game. In 2014, they began to do so for college football. In 2024, PFF’s college analysts, led by Max Chadwick, supported the Rimington Trophy in creating the Watchlist. 

About the NCFAA
The Rimington Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit the NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.