Pay named to prestigious Rimington Trophy Watchlist

NEW YORK — BYU center Connor Pay was today named to the 2022 Rimington Trophy preseason watchlist. The prestigious trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in college football. 

The award is named after Dave Rimington, a two-time Consensus All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982. As a junior and senior, Rimington became the only two-time winner of the John Outland Trophy, presented annually to college football’s top interior lineman.

Pay, from Highland, Utah, played in all 13 games with 10 starts for No. 19-ranked BYU as a Covid-year freshman in 2021. He took over the center position the final five games of the season for injured starter James Empey, a three-time Rimington Trophy watchlist honoree. Before moving to center, Pay earned a starting role at right guard for the Cougars. 

The 6-5, 312-pound sophomore is one of only seven underclassmen to make the preseason watchlist recognizing the nation's top centers. Last year, he helped the Cougar offense average 33 points and 452 yards per game. At the conclusion of the season, the BYU offensive line was named Pro Football Network Offensive Line of the Year, allowing just 15 total sacks all year.

In 2021 the Cougar offense scored on 89 percent of its red zone trips (49 of 55), with 75 percent (41) being touchdowns. The offense also converted on 46 percent of its third downs attempts. 

The Rimington Trophy committee worked with Pro Football Focus in 2022 to narrow down its preseason watch list to the top 40 centers in Division I football, based on extensive data from previous seasons provide by PFF. Once the 2022 football season begins, other centers could be added to the list based on in-season merit.

At the conclusion of the 2022 season, the Rimington Trophy committee will use three prestigious All-America teams to determine a winner—Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of America. The center with the most first-team All-America votes will be awarded the Trophy.

As part of the National College Football Awards Association, which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football, the Rimington Trophy will be unveiled live on Dec. 8, during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.