DALLAS, TX --- Finalists for the President Gerald R. Ford Legends of Center Award were announced today by the Dave Rimington Trophy Committee. The distiguished list includes legendary Centers Bob Johnson (Tennessee), Alex Kroll (Rutgers University), Jim Otto (University of Miami) and Jim Ritcher (North Carolina State University).

The inaugural "Legends of Center Award" was presented to and named after President Gerald R. Ford who played Center at the University of Michigan. Prior to serving as the 38th President of the United States, Ford was an offensive standout who led the Wolverines to two undefeated seasons in 1932 and 1933, including a national championship. In 1934 Ford was named the Wolverines' MVP and later starred in San Francisco's East-West Shrine Game and the Chicago Tribune College All-Star Game.

BOB JOHNSON

The Johnson story fills a glowing chapter in American family histories. First there was William F. Johnson, a good student and heavyweight boxer at Michigan State. He settled in Cleveland, Tennessee where he and his wife Aletta raised four sons, three of which would venture into football playing careers. Bob (1965-1967), Tom (1970-1972) and Paul (1973- 1975) all became starting centers for the University of Tennessee football team and wore uniform numbers 54, 53 and 52, respectively. The fourth son, Bill, was a student trainer and pre-med scholar. He is now a surgeon.

In high school, Bob was a team captain, honor student and Eagle Scout. In college, he was again named team captain, but was also recognized as a unanimous All-American, National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete, and winner of the Jacobs Trophy, given to the Southeastern Conference's best blocker. He was awarded the Knoxville Journal Trophy, which was given to the best scholar on the team (B plus in Industrial Engineering) and named to the Southeastern Conference Quarter Century Team. Bob also became president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. As a pro athlete, Bob was the first draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals and would become their team captain for 11 straight years. He later settled in Glendale, Ohio and became president of Imperial Adhesives Corporation. "Football," he says "gave me confidence - made me a doer instead of a watcher."

ALEX KROLL

Alex Kroll had a banner year in 1961. He was named an All-American center by the Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, American Football Coaches Association and the Football Writers Association. His collegiate career saw him play for two schools: Yale in 1956 and Rutgers in 1960-61. In between those seasons, he served in the U.S. Army. He attended both schools on an academic scholarship, made Phi Beta Kappa and graduated from Rutgers with a degree in English literature. While at Rutgers, he served as the team's captain, leading them to a 9-0 record. Kroll played one year with the New York Titans of the American Football League. He later joined Young and Rubicam as a copy-writer. He was named worldwide creative director in 1970, chief executive officer in 1985, and chairman in 1986; all this at the nation's largest advertising agency. In 1997, Kroll became the 42nd inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame. The football teams on which he played had a combined record of 25-2.

JIM OTTO

It’s difficult to imagine any one player dominating the honors at one position more completely than Jim Otto. As a center in both in the American Football League and in the National Football League, Otto was well recognized for his contributions on the football field. In 1960, the Wausau, Wisconsin native joined the newly founded Oakland Raiders and for the next 15 seasons would become their first and only starting center in franchise history. Over the AFL's brief ten-year history, he was one of only three players to see action in each of his team’s regular season games; 140 in total. He played with such skill that in its entire history, the AFL never had another all-league center. Otto, who starred as a center and linebacker at the University of Miami, won All-AFL acclaim for 10 straight seasons. He was an All-NFL center in 1970 and 1971, and earned second-team All-NFL honors in 1972. Not surprisingly, he was named to the all-time All-AFL team following the 1969 season. During his 15-year playing career, he participated in each of the nine AFL All-Star games. Jim never missed a game. When he retired following the 1974 season, he had started in 210 consecutive regular season games. While a Raider, he played in 308 games. During that period the franchise, once known as AFL doormats, rose to prominence. Oakland won seven divisional championships in an eight-year period spanning from 1967 through 1974. The 1967 Raiders became AFL champions and played against the NFL’s Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II. Otto was unmistakably a tower of strength and the anchor of the Raiders' talented offensive line.

JIM RITCHER

Jim Ritcher brought new recognition to the center position in football. The Outland Trophy, named for the nation's best interior lineman, had been in existence 33 years and had never been won by a center; that is, until Ritcher won it in 1979. He was a two-time All-American at North Carolina State and two-time winner of the Jacobs Trophy, which is given to the best position blocker in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He graduated with a degree in sociology. North Carolina State named him the school's most outstanding scholar-athlete and retired his jersey, number 51. Ritcher stood 6-3, weighed 245, and was extremely mobile. "He was strong and quick. His talent enabled us to outline certain plays we wouldn't have considered with normal players. He would be a star at any position except quarterback or wide receiver," said his coach Bo Rein. In 1978, after a game against Syracuse, the Associated Press named him Lineman of the Week. He played 16 years in the National Football League with Buffalo and Atlanta. After retiring from professional football, he settled in Raleigh, North Carolina and now works as a flight instructor and commercial pilot for American Airlines.

SELECTION CRITERIA
To be considered for the President Gerald R. Ford Legends of Center Award candidates must have either played the Center position at the collegiate or professional level; made extraordinary contributions to his team during his football career; or have proven to be an exemplary citizen, philanthropist or business leader.
The winner of the President Gerald R. Ford Legends of Center Award will be honored at the Rimington Trophy awards banquet at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, Nebraska on January 13, 2007.

About the Rimington Trophy
The six-year old trophy is presented by Canon, USA, Black & Decker, Mid American Energy Holdings and Power Sentry. Past recipients include Dominic Raiola (Nebraska), LeCharles Bentley (Ohio State), Brett Romberg (Miami), Jake Grove (Virginia Tech), co- winners David Baas (Michigan) and Ben Wilkerson (LSU), and Greg Elsinger (Minnesota). Since its inception the Rimington Trophy Award has raised over $700,000 for its benefactor, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It, in turn, is hosted by the Boomer Esiason Foundation which, to date has raised over $40 million for Cystic Fibrosis research.

Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-American center at Nebraska in 1981 and 1982. During this time, he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.

The Rimington Trophy is fully accredited member of the National College Football Awards Association.