Johnson a Finalist for Rimington Trophy
December 04, 2002 | Football
Al Johnson, senior center with the Wisconsin football team, has been named one of five finalists for the Dave Rimington Trophy, which annually is awarded to the nation's top center.
The other finalists are Jeff Faine of Notre Dame, Dan Koppen of Boston College, Bruce Nelson of Iowa, and Brett Romberg of Miami (Fla.).
The winner will be honored at a presentation banquet in Lincoln, Neb., on Dec. 14.
Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, years in which he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.
Johnson, a team captain and native of Brussels, Wis., was a consensus second-team All-Big Ten selection this season. He has started 36 games during his Wisconsin career, including the last 31 straight.
Johnson's selection gives Wisconsin a finalist for one of college football's major awards for the fifth consecutive season. Listed below are Wisconsin's major award finalists since 1998.
1998: Ron Dayne (Doak Walker Award); Aaron Gibson (Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award)
1999: Ron Dayne (Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award); Chris McIntosh (Outland Trophy); Vitaly Pisetsky (Lou Groza Award, Mosi Tatupu Award)
2000: Kevin Stemke (Ray Guy Award); Jamar Fletcher (Jim Thorpe Award)
2001: Lee Evans (Fred Biletnikoff Award); Nick Davis (Mosi Tatupu Award)
2002: Al Johnson (Dave Rimington Trophy)
