UC Bearcats Football: Deyshawn Bond Makes Rimington Trophy Watch List

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Cincinnati Bearcats football got a nice surprise today when it was made known that offensive lineman Deyshawn Bond was named to the 2014 Rimington Trophy watch list. The award celebrates college football’s best center. Bond is among 64 lineman added to the preseason list, including just five sophomores or redshirt sophomores. The center was also one of two players listed to a school that was spelled incorrectly on the list (#Cincinnatti). He and fellow sophomore Dan Voltz from Wisconsin are a rare few.

Overall the AAC boasted seven centers named to the Rimington Award watch list.

Bond did a respectable job in 2013 taking over for senior Dan Sprague after he was lost for the season with a knee injury. He struggled at times, which isn’t unexpected, but the true freshman battled through to really become a force on the interior of Cincinnati’s offensive line. Bond’s performance got him noticed, as illustrated by him being added to the Rimington Award watch list. Perhaps the most encouraging news is that the center is just a sophomore. Getting on this list early is key and Bond has already accomplished that. Even if he doesn’t take home the trophy in 2014, as long as he stays healthy for the next three years he should be a shoe in to make the list during that time. Plus, if Bond continues to add muscle and refine his game, he should be a contender to win the award as an upperclassman.