Blake Named to Rimington Trophy Watch List
7/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 13, 2011
NEW YORK CITY - Baylor senior center Philip Blake has been selected to the 43-man 2011 Rimington Trophy fall watch list, released by the trophy's selection committee Wednesday. Blake is one of three student-athletes from the Big 12 Conference on the list.The award is presented annually by the Boomer Esiason Foundation to the nation's top collegiate center in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Blake is the latest of Baylor's recent All-America candidates on an offensive line that has produced 2011 NFL first-round selection Danny Watkins, 2010 third-round draftee and 15-game game rookie center starter J.D. Walton and 2009 NFL No. 2 overall pick Jason Smith. The Toronto, Ontario, native was selected 23rd overall in the 2011 Canadian Football League (CFL) Canadian Draft by the Montreal Alouettes. He is expected to anchor Baylor's line for an offense returning eight starters from its record-setting 2010 edition (set 55 offensive school records). Blake will snap for 2011 Heisman candidate QB Robert Griffin III.
An honorable mention All-Big 12 center in 2010, he has started all 25 games in his Baylor career - the longest active streak on the team. He moved to center during 2010 spring drills, replacing current Denver Broncos center J.D. Walton, after starting all 12 games at right tackle in 2009. He anchored Baylor's offensive line that ranked third in the Big 12 and 24th nationally in rushing (194.6 yards-per-game) and fourth in the conference in sacks against (1.54 per game) in 2010. He totaled 82 knockdowns on the season and received a coach's grade of 81 percent or higher in 11 of 13 games.
Blake played his freshman season at Tyler (Texas) Junior College in 2008, earning second-team All-SWJCFC honors on the offensive line. He is one of three Big 12 student-athletes on the watch list, joining Oklahoma State's Grant Garner and Kansas' Jeremiah Hatch.
The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be selected by determining the consensus All-America center pick from four existing All-America teams: American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). The Rimington Trophy presentation will be held Jan. 14 at Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Neb.
