05/20/2009 - Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Junior center Bryan Morgan was one of 44 players named to the Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List on Wednesday.

The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top center based on first team All-America selections by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of American (FWAA).

Morgan, a Birmingham, Ala. native, started all 12 games in 2008 at center for the Blue Devils. He was one of only seven players on the Duke roster to play over 800 snaps, finishing the year fifth on the squad with 835 total plays.

After playing tackle his freshman season, Morgan moved to center and led the marked improvement on the offensive line last season. The Blue Devils allowed only 22 sacks, which was 23 fewer than they had in 2007. The offense increased its rushing totals by 42.2 yards per game and the total offensive numbers by 32.7 yards per game. They also scored over 30 points in five games, the most since 1989.

Morgan was one of five ACC players selected to the watch list, joining North Carolina’s Lowell Dyer, North Carolina State’s Ted Larsen, Florida State’s Ryan McMahon and Boston College’s Matthew Tennant.  

The 10-year old trophy is presented by the Boomer Esiason Foundation. Past recipients include Nebraska 's Dominic Raiola, Ohio State 's LeCharles Bentley, Miami 's Brett Romberg, Virginia Tech's Jake Grove, co-winners Michigan 's David Baas and LSU's Ben Wilkerson, Minnesota 's Greg Eslinger, West Virginia 's Dan Mozes, Arkansas ’ Jonathan Luigs, and Penn State's A.Q. Shipley.

Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.

2009 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List 
Eddie Adamski, Northern Illinois, Senior 
Kenny Alfred, Washington State, Senior 
Garrett Anderson, South Carolina, Senior 
Tim Barnes, Missouri, Junior 
Carl Barnett, Houston, Senior 
Colin Baxter, Arizona, Junior 
Joe Bernardi, Fresno State, Junior 
Ryan Blaszczyk, Rutgers, Senior  
Ben Bojicic, Bowling Green, Sophomore 
Mike Brewster, Ohio State, Sophomore 
J.C. Brignone, Mississippi State, Junior 
Ben Burkett, Northwestern, Sophomore 
Thomas Byrd, Boise State, Sophomore 
Ronnie Castillo, San Jose State, Senior 
Eric Cook, New Mexico, Senior 
Lowell Dyer, North Carolina, Senior  
John Estes, Hawaii, Senior  
Daverin Geralds, Mississippi, Senior 
Jorge Gonzalez, Kentucky, Senior  
Chris Hall, Texas, Senior  
Jacob Hickman, Nebraska, Senior 
Trask Iosefa, San Diego State, Junior 
Ted Larsen, North Carolina State, Senior  
Kevin Matthews, Texas A&M, Senior 
Jim McKenzie, Syracuse, Junior 
Ryan McMahon, Florida State, Junior 
Colin Miller, Central Michigan, Junior  
John Moffitt, Wisconsin, Junior 
David Molk, Michigan, Sophomore 
Bryan Morgan, Duke, Junior 
Joel Nitchman, Michigan State, Senior 
Kristofer O' Dowd, USC, Junior 
Maurkice Pouncey, Florida, Junior 
Lon Roberts, Louisiana Tech, Junior 
Jake Seitz, Alabama-Birmingham, Senior  
Brad Serini, Florida International, Junior 
Matthew Tennant, Boston College, Junior  
Mark Thompson, Middle Tennessee, Senior 
Bradley Vierling, Vanderbilt, Senior 
Tim Walter, Colorado State, Senior 
J.D. Walton, Baylor, Senior 
Dan Wenger, Notre Dame, Senior