Sophomore center Drew Kyser was named to the Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List, Tuesday. Kyser stepped in as a true freshman last season at center, playing in all 13 games, with 12 starts. After starting in the season opener against Missouri State, Kyser backed up 2015 Rimington Trophy watch list candidate Gabe Kuhn in a road win at Kansas in the second game of the year, then started at center for the remainder of the 2015 season, allowing Kuhn to move to guard.
Kyser, a native of Opelika, Alabama, blocked last season for a Memphis offense that set a single season school record with 6,330 yards of total offense and that ranked 19th in the NCAA in total offense (486.9 ypg). Memphis’ offensive line also helped the team rank 13th in pass efficiency (158.23) and 11th in scoring offense (40.2 ppg). On third downs, Memphis converted at a rate of 48.8 percent, eighth in the NCAA, and Memphis’ red zone offense was tied for 18th in the country with an 88.9 percent success rate.
A graduate of Opelika High School, Kyser is one of four starters returning to the offensive line from last season. The Tigers’ lone loss on the offensive line from last year was senior Taylor Fallin, who signed a free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Rimington Trophy is presented each year to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $2.6 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation and is named for Dave Rimington, a consensus first-team All-America center at Nebraska in 1981 and 1982. He became the John Outland Trophy’s only double winner as the nation’s finest college interior lineman. For more information on the trophy and to see a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com.
The 2016 Tigers, in their first season under head coach Mike Norvell, will kick off a season that includes seven home games on Sept. 3rd, when Memphis hosts Southeast Missouri in both team’s season opener. Season tickets, including seats in the new chairback seating along both sidelines, are available for purchase by calling 901-678-2331.
