Bolton Earns Rimington Award
2/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Four games into Montana State's 2005 football season, Mike Kramer moved senior All-America guard Jeff Bolton to center. For both Bolton and the Bobcats, that move couldn't have worked out better.
Bolton earned the ultimate honor at his position earlier this month when he was named the 2005 Rimington Award winner as Division I-AA's top center. Bolton was First Team All-Big Sky and consensus All-America at center in 2005, as well.
While nothing Bolton did on the field surprised Bobcat offensive line coach Jason McEndoo, the honors did. "He's one of a kind," said McEndoo, a former All-Pac 10 (at Washington State) and NFL offensive lineman. "I don't know of any other offensive lineman that can start only seven games in his career at a position and earn this type of award. This is a pretty phenomenal award, and Jeff is a pretty phenomenal player."
Bolton said the award is special because of its namesake. "Dave Rimington was such a great player," Bolton said from Indianapolis, where he trains for April's NFL Draft. "He revolutionized the center position. He's one of the greatest players in NFL history, so this is an awesome honor."
Also a former college center, Bobcat coach Mike Kramer said Rimington held the attention of everyone who practiced that craft during his playing days. "Playing center is one of the toughest duties in all of sport, because you're starting a play with one hand between your legs," Kramer said. "The only people who know how difficult a task that is are guys that played that position."
Kramer said Rimington's renowned quickness remains legendary. "When Dave Rimington played, he snapped the ball and moved so fast that it was hard to believe. We really learned a lot from watching him. His quickness and tenacity in an era dominated by the running game make him, in all the years I've watched football, one of the greatest, most dominating, most intriguing players I've ever seen."
Bolton's mercurial rise to the top of that position, which he calls his "favorite position to play," engenders similar respect. "Jeff's work ethic and body type makes him a player that can have success at the next level," McEndoo said.
A native of Florida, Bolton's family moved to Hailey, Idaho when he was in high school. Former Bobcat assistant coach Butch Damberger recruited Bolton on a tip from John Blackman, his coach at Wood River High and a former Bobcat teammate of Damberger's. Bolton played as a true freshman, and started as a sophomore.
As a junior Bolton started all 11 games, but did so in a manner that defined his career as a Bobcat. He spent the first six games of the season at right tackle, started game seven at left guard, moved back to right tackle for two games, and then started the last two at left tackle. During his career, Bolton started games at every position on the offensive line.
"Jeff is a team-first guy," Kramer said, "and has been since the day he joined our program. He never wanted to know what was in it for him, he wanted to know how he could help the team. He is a warrior who played through injuries. Jeff will always have my full respect."
Bolton earned All-Big Sky and Second Team All-America honors after his junior season, which served as a prelude to one of the fine individual seasons in Bobcat history. As a senior, Bolton started the first four games at guard, then moved to center in response to injuries on the offensive line. In his seven starts he helped lead the Bobcats to a 5-2 Big Sky record and a share of the Big Sky Conference.
In his Bobcat finale, Bolton and one of the greatest group of seniors in school history led MSU's offense to a tremendously efficient performance in a 16-6 championship-clinching win over the Grizzlies. The 'Cats rushed for a conference season-high 199 yards, controlling the ball on the ground for much of the second half in the convincing victory.
The Dave Rimington Trophy is presented to college football's top center during an award ceremony in January, while players earn Rimington Awards in Division I-AA, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The Boomer Esiason Foundation initiated the program in 2000 for players the long-time Cincinnati Bengals quarterback calls the game's "unsung heroes," and expanded it to include all levels of college football in 2003.
Proceeds from the banquet support the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which generates funds for research and treatment of cystic fibrosis, from which one of Esiason's sons has suffered since infancy. Boomer Esiason's Foundation has raised over $35 million for cystic fibrosis research.
Rimington was a two-time Outland Trophy winner and All-America, in 1981 and '82, at Nebraska. Carroll's Kyle Baker won the NAIA Rimington Award, while Lance Ancar of North Alabama in Florence, Ala., won the Division II honor and Damien Ciecwisz of Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pa., won the Division III award. Minnesota's Greg Eslinger won the Dave Rimington Trophy for 2005.
For more information, check www.rimingtontrophy.com or www.esiason.org.
Bolton earned the ultimate honor at his position earlier this month when he was named the 2005 Rimington Award winner as Division I-AA's top center. Bolton was First Team All-Big Sky and consensus All-America at center in 2005, as well.
While nothing Bolton did on the field surprised Bobcat offensive line coach Jason McEndoo, the honors did. "He's one of a kind," said McEndoo, a former All-Pac 10 (at Washington State) and NFL offensive lineman. "I don't know of any other offensive lineman that can start only seven games in his career at a position and earn this type of award. This is a pretty phenomenal award, and Jeff is a pretty phenomenal player."
Bolton said the award is special because of its namesake. "Dave Rimington was such a great player," Bolton said from Indianapolis, where he trains for April's NFL Draft. "He revolutionized the center position. He's one of the greatest players in NFL history, so this is an awesome honor."
Also a former college center, Bobcat coach Mike Kramer said Rimington held the attention of everyone who practiced that craft during his playing days. "Playing center is one of the toughest duties in all of sport, because you're starting a play with one hand between your legs," Kramer said. "The only people who know how difficult a task that is are guys that played that position."
Kramer said Rimington's renowned quickness remains legendary. "When Dave Rimington played, he snapped the ball and moved so fast that it was hard to believe. We really learned a lot from watching him. His quickness and tenacity in an era dominated by the running game make him, in all the years I've watched football, one of the greatest, most dominating, most intriguing players I've ever seen."
Bolton's mercurial rise to the top of that position, which he calls his "favorite position to play," engenders similar respect. "Jeff's work ethic and body type makes him a player that can have success at the next level," McEndoo said.
A native of Florida, Bolton's family moved to Hailey, Idaho when he was in high school. Former Bobcat assistant coach Butch Damberger recruited Bolton on a tip from John Blackman, his coach at Wood River High and a former Bobcat teammate of Damberger's. Bolton played as a true freshman, and started as a sophomore.
As a junior Bolton started all 11 games, but did so in a manner that defined his career as a Bobcat. He spent the first six games of the season at right tackle, started game seven at left guard, moved back to right tackle for two games, and then started the last two at left tackle. During his career, Bolton started games at every position on the offensive line.
"Jeff is a team-first guy," Kramer said, "and has been since the day he joined our program. He never wanted to know what was in it for him, he wanted to know how he could help the team. He is a warrior who played through injuries. Jeff will always have my full respect."
Bolton earned All-Big Sky and Second Team All-America honors after his junior season, which served as a prelude to one of the fine individual seasons in Bobcat history. As a senior, Bolton started the first four games at guard, then moved to center in response to injuries on the offensive line. In his seven starts he helped lead the Bobcats to a 5-2 Big Sky record and a share of the Big Sky Conference.
In his Bobcat finale, Bolton and one of the greatest group of seniors in school history led MSU's offense to a tremendously efficient performance in a 16-6 championship-clinching win over the Grizzlies. The 'Cats rushed for a conference season-high 199 yards, controlling the ball on the ground for much of the second half in the convincing victory.
The Dave Rimington Trophy is presented to college football's top center during an award ceremony in January, while players earn Rimington Awards in Division I-AA, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The Boomer Esiason Foundation initiated the program in 2000 for players the long-time Cincinnati Bengals quarterback calls the game's "unsung heroes," and expanded it to include all levels of college football in 2003.
Proceeds from the banquet support the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which generates funds for research and treatment of cystic fibrosis, from which one of Esiason's sons has suffered since infancy. Boomer Esiason's Foundation has raised over $35 million for cystic fibrosis research.
Rimington was a two-time Outland Trophy winner and All-America, in 1981 and '82, at Nebraska. Carroll's Kyle Baker won the NAIA Rimington Award, while Lance Ancar of North Alabama in Florence, Ala., won the Division II honor and Damien Ciecwisz of Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pa., won the Division III award. Minnesota's Greg Eslinger won the Dave Rimington Trophy for 2005.
For more information, check www.rimingtontrophy.com or www.esiason.org.
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