IU Athletics Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana fifth-year senior center Hunter Littlejohn earned a spot on the Rimington Trophy Watch List, the Rimington Trophy Committee announced Friday afternoon. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in college football.

Littlejohn has played in all 24 games over the past two seasons with 16 starts at center. In 2018, the Powell, Ohio, native allowed just three sacks in 904 snaps and collected IU offensive player of the week honors following the Virginia win.

The Hoosiers ranked second in the Big Ten and shared 24th nationally in first downs per game (23.5), third in the conference (36th nationally) in passing offense (257.8) and tied for sixth in passing touchdowns (20).

A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Littlejohn graduated with a healthcare management and policy degree in May 2019.

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. The winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020.

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 seventeen-year old award has raised over $4.2 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.

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 and a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com

The Rimington Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.

Littlejohn and the Hoosiers open the 2019 campaign with a noon ET kickoff against Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Tickets for IU's six home games are available by clicking here, by phone at 1-866-IUSPORTS or in person at the Assembly Hall Ticket Office. IU will welcome Eastern Illinois (Sept. 7), Ohio State (Sept. 14), Connecticut (Sept. 21), Rutgers (Oct. 12 – Homecoming), Northwestern (Nov. 2) and Michigan (Nov. 23) to Memorial Stadium.

The Huddle

Hunter Littlejohn Named to Rimington Award Watch List for Nation's Top Center

Hoosier Huddle