University of Florida junior center Maurkice Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) was named to the 2009 Rimington Trophy spring watch list by the Rimington Trophy committee Wednesday. The trophy, named after Nebraska's two-time consensus All-America center Dave Rimington, is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding offensive center.
Pouncey led Florida’s offensive line in all 14 games last season and helped carry the Gators to the 2008 FedEx BCS National Championship title. An AP honorable-mention All-SEC candidate at center, Pouncey was honored Oct. 6, 2008, as the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance against Arkansas, where the offensive line allowed Florida to put up 278 yards rushing against the Razorbacks in Fayetteville, including 100-yard-plus rushing games from Jeff Demps (Winter Garden, Fla.) and Chris Rainey (Lakeland, Fla.).
The 2009 Rimington Trophy Watch List list includes 12 returning players from the 2008 list. In all, there are 44 players for the 2009 watch list. The SEC checks in with the most candidates, with five players in addition to Pouncey. The ACC, Big-12, Big Ten and WAC are represented by five players each.
