Quin Ficklin named to 2018 Rimington Trophy watchlist

Following an impressive 2017 season, Utah State senior center Quin Ficklin was named to the 2018 Rimington Trophy watchlist on Friday.

The 6-foot-2, 290-pound BYU-transfer started all 13 games for the Aggies last season and played the most snaps of any of the team’s offensive linemen while allowing just one sack. The team’s grading system gave him an overall performance grade of 93 percent, best on the team, with a 96 percent effort grade and an 89 percent in assignment. He also led the team in knockdowns with 56.

Ficklin earned honorable mention all-conference honors from the Mountain West coaches last season, and was named third-team all-conference in Phil Steele’s college football magazine. He has already received a preseason first-team all-Mountain West nod by Athlon Sports for this upcoming season.

The Rimington Trophy is awarded each season to the most outstanding center in FBS, with 58 players being named to the watchlist. Nevada’s Sean Krepsz is the only other Mountain West player given a spot on the watchlist.

The Aggies return 18 starters from a team that earned its sixth bowl appearance in the last seven years, extending the most consistent stretch of bowl appearances in school history. The season begins on Aug. 31 with a road game against Michigan State, followed by a bowl game rematch against New Mexico State on Sept. 8 in Logan.