Even with the season four months away, University of Miami football players have already begun garnering national attention.
Senior Shane McDermott was named to the 2014 Rimington Trophy spring watch list, an award given to the country's top collegiate center.
In 2013, McDermott earned All-ACC third team after starting 11 games. He missed two with an injury. He was a key contributor to a line that helped the offense average 425.8 yards and 33.8 points per game. As a sophomore, McDermott started all 12 games at center on his way to an All-ACC honorable mention.
McDermott will be looked upon as a leader for a line that lost four members from the 2013 unit -- Malcolm Bunche (transfer), Brandon Linder (graduation), Seantrel Henderson (graduation) and Jared Wheeler (graduation).
The Hurricanes have a history with this accolade. Brett Romberg took home the Rimington Trophy in 2002. He was part of the 34-game win streak from 2000-02, never allowing a sack and paving the way for three 1,000-yard rushers: James Jackson, Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee.
Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982 and became the Outland Trophy's only double winner.
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
