NMSU’S Canaan Yarro earns a spot on Rimington Trophy watch list
(Courtesy: NMSU Athletics)
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - NM State redshirt senior Canaan Yarro has been named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, which is awarded annually to the nation’s most outstanding center.
This year, the Trophy committee worked with Pro Football Focus (PFF) to narrow down its list to the top 40 centers in FBS.
PFF grades every player on every play of every game on how well they execute their given assignment.
That play-by-play grading allowed the Trophy committee to create a watchlist based both on nominations from the schools and data provided by PFF. Once the season
begins, schools will be able to nominate their centers for late addition based on in-season merit.
Yarro, a native of Provo, Utah, enters his third and final season with the Aggies and has played in 26 games since joining the program ahead of the 2022 season.
He serves as a centerpiece on the offensive line and a leader on and off the field for the Aggies.
Last season, Yarro started all 15 games for the Aggies and helped NM State finish 14th in the nation in rushing yards per game.
Ultimately, Yarro was named Second Team All-CUSA in 2023 and was awarded College Football Network Second Team All-Independent honors in 2022.
The recognition as a member of the Rimington Trophy Watch List marks Yarro’s second distinction this week after he was named a HERO Sports Preseason Group of Five Second Team All-American on Thursday morning.
While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington
Trophy committee uses these three prestigious teams to determine a winner:
- Walter Camp Foundation (WCF)
- Sporting News (SN)
- Football Writers Association of America (FWAA)
Because the selectors of these three All-America teams can place centers in a "mix" of offensive linemen that includes guards and tackles, their 11-man first teams can often have two centers.
The Rimington Trophy committee's policy is to count all players that play primarily the center position for their respective teams as centers, even though they may be listed as guards or tackles on the All-America teams.
The center with the most first team votes will be determined the winner. If there is a tie with first team votes, then the center with the most second team votes will win.
If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by a majority vote from the Rimington Trophy Committee, provided with data from Pro Football Focus.
About the Rimington Trophy
The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in NCAA Division I College Football.
Since its inception, the award has raised over $5 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation.
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 two-time winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman. For more on the Rimington Trophy, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com.
Yarro and the Aggies are set to begin their 2024 campaign in Aggie Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, when they welcome Southeast Missouri. Kickoff versus the Redhawks is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT. To purchase tickets for the season opener, fans can call the Pan American Ticket Office at 575-646-1420 or by visiting this link.
For complete coverage of the NM State football program, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Football), Twitter (@NMStateFootball) and Instagram (@NMStateFB).
