Iowa State’s Colin Newell Leads Big 12 For Rimington Award

Posted on July 24, 2021

NCAA Football: Fiesta Bowl-Oregon vs Iowa State

Iowa State’s Colin Newell and Kansas transfer Mike Novitsky were among the Big 12 centers named to the 2021 Rimington Award Watch List on Friday.

The watch list revealed the tight ends that are initial candidates for the award given to the best center in college football. It is named for Dave Rimington, a former All-America center at the University of Nebraska.

Newell was a First-Team All-Big 12 selection and a Rimington Award Watch List member last season, as he helped pave the way for the Cyclones to break a school record for rushing touchdowns (31) and scored 32.9 points per game, the second highest total in program history. He and the rest of the Cyclones’ offensive line were semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, giving to the best offensive line in college football.

Novitsky transferred to Kansas this summer, following Lance Leipold, who coached at the University of Buffalo before taking over at Kansas. With UB last season, Novitsky earned First-Team All-MAC honors, anchored an offensive line that was ranked second in the nation in rushing yards per game (287.4) and, like Newell, helped his line to semifinal honors for the Joe Moore Award.

Other Big 12 players on the Rimington Award Watch List include Oklahoma State’s Danny Godlevske, TCU’s Steve Avila and Texas Tech’s Dawson Deaton.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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2021 Rimington Award Watch List

(Big 12 Players in Bold)

Alec Lindstrom, Boston College

Jack Wohlabaugh, Duke

Cole Bentley, Louisville

Grant Gibson, NC State

Olusegun Oluwatimi, Virginia

Kody Russey, Houston

C.J. Perez, Temple

Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane

Colin Newell, Iowa State

Mike Novitsky, Kansas