FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alabama’s Ryan Kelly Named Rimington Trophy Winner

Atlanta, Georgia – December 10, 2015

Senior leader and anchor of the Alabama offensive line, Ryan Kelly, was awarded the 2015 Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s most outstanding center, on Thursday, December 10, 2015 at the ESPNU Red Carpet Show preceding the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show.

The winner of the Rimington Trophy is selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from the Walter Camp, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of America All-American teams.

Kelly, the 17th recipient of the award, will be honored by the Rimington Trophy Committee and the Boomer Esiason Foundation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska on January 16, 2016 – in the same city where trophy namesake and Nebraska All-American, Dave Rimington, earned his place in the College Football Hall of Fame.

“Honoring our trophy winners in the same city where I started my football career is something very special to me,” said Rimington. “Ryan exemplifies everything a great center needs to be – a young man who determinedly leads his o-line week in and week out. He most certainly has an exciting career ahead of him.”

Ryan Kelly is a three-year starter at center in his senior season at the Capstone and the Crimson Tide’s signal calling anchor. He was not only a leading candidate for the Rimington Trophy throughout the season; he was also a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy and the Campbell Award.

“It is an incredible honor with a lot of great competitors who were up for this award. This is also not won individually – the coaches and the guys that play with me every day drive me,” Kelly said. “I’m not always 100 percent, but Derrick Henry does a great job of picking me up. This is a huge accomplishment and one that I have always dreamed of and I could not be happier. I also want to thank Dave Rimington and everyone associated with the Rimington Trophy for all they do for college football.”

In the 2015 season, Kelly has graded about 84 percent in all games, with five games above 90 percent. He has blocked for nine 100-yard games for Derrick Henry, including a school record four games over 200 yards, has not allowed a sack this season – only surrendering four quarterback hurries, and has 16 knockdown blocks from the center position. Kelly was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his play against number four LSU and is a six-time Alabama Offensive Player of the Week (Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Charleston Southern and Auburn).

About the Rimington Trophy
The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $2.5 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The fifteen-year old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $100 million for CF Research. Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman. For more on the Rimington Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com

About the Boomer Esiason Foundation
BEF supports the CF community through scholarships, transplant grants, exercise programs, and educational programs as well as donating money to CF research. To date, BEF has raised over $115 million. Please visit Esiason.org to learn more about our programs, teamboomer.org to join the team, and follow us at facebook.com/BoomerEsiasonFoundation and @cysticfibrosis.

About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis is a rare, inherited, chronic disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, and reproductive system of about 30,000 Americans by causing a thick build-up of mucus that leads to blockage, inflammation, and infection.

Rimington Trophy Contact:
Michelle Pelini
[email protected]
646.292.7946