Florida Gators OL Brett Heggie Named to Rimington Trophy Watch List
Florida Gators offensive lineman Brett Heggie has been named to the Rimington Trophy watch list, awarded annually to the nation's top center in FBS football.
"The Rimington Trophy Committee adjusted its procedures with consideration to the COVID-19 pandemic, choosing to hold its 2020 watch list until play began and a plan was implemented across all Division I conferences. This year, it accepted all nominations from eligible Division I programs with the goal of highlighting as many collegiate centers as possible and showing the outstanding commitment of the following student athletes." - RimingtonTrophy.com
Heggie transitioned from guard to center for his redshirt senior season following the graduation of two-year starting center Nick Buchanan. Heggie originally enrolled at Florida as a center but moved to guard early in his career.
After dealing with numerous injuries to begin his career, Heggie has been a solid member of Florida's offensive line dating back to last season. He's played his best ball, however, at center across three games this year. Pro Football Focus has Heggie down for allowing just three pressures across 121 pass-blocking snaps, tied for the fewest pressures allowed among UF's starting line.
A strong performance in week one earned Heggie SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors. On the season, the Gators rank No. 18 in total offense averaging 464 yards per game.
Rising sophomore Ethan White originally contended at center after playing guard as a freshman, and was expected to start entering the year before a knee injury suffered in the second team scrimmage required surgery, which has left White on the sidelines.
White may still contend for a starting role when he returns to full health - head coach Dan Mullen estimated a two-week timetable on the Monday before the Texas A&M game. However, it's unlikely that role will be at center as Heggie has held down the position spectacularly.
You can find the entire 2020 Rimington Trophy watch list here. The winner will be determined by the All-American votes of the Walter Camp Foundation (WCF) , Sporting News (SN) , and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
