TAMPA– USF senior center Cameron Ruff (Tampa, Fla.) has been named to the 2017 Rimington Trophy Watch List, which recognizes the top centers in college football.

Ruff is the first Bull named to a national award watch list as USF prepares for a 2017 season that kicks off Sat., Aug. 26 at San Jose State. Eight Bulls were named to 13 national awards watch lists during the 2016 season.

Ruff was among seven American Athletic Conference players named to the watch list. The Rimington Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football.

Ruff started all 13 games at center in 2016 an earned the team’s Offensive Lineman of the Year award. He helped the USF offense set school records with 77 touchdowns, 47 rushing touchdowns (second in the FBS), 3,714 rushing yards and 6,650 yards of total offense, while ranking in the top 20 in the nation in sacks allowed (1.15). Behind Ruff and the Bulls offensive line, USF extend its nation-leading streak of 30-plus point games to 17 as Ruff helped pave the way for USF to finish the season ranked fifth nationally in rushing offense (285.3 ypg), fourth in scoring offense (43.8 ppg) and 11th in total offense (511.5 ypg).

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 $2.9 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $130 million for the fight against the progressive, genetic disease.

Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-American center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the 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