Kentucky’s Coleton Price Hauls in Midseason Accolades
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky center Coleton Price has earned multiple midseason accolades as announced on Thursday. Price is a midseason addition to The Rimington Trophy watch list, honoring the nation’s best center, and also has been selected to Sports Illustrated’s Midseason All-America Second Team.
Price, the middle of UK’s Big Blue Wall, has started all six games for the Wildcats, who are off to a 5-1 start, including a 3-1 mark in the Southeastern Conference.
The 6-foot-3, 308-pounder has appeared in 38 career games and made 36 total starts in his collegiate career. The centerpiece of a Joe Moore Award midseason watchlist offensive line, Price has accumulated several honors this season.
He was named to the Pro Football Focus College Team of the Week following UK’s dominant rushing performance over South Alabama. UK’s front line opened holes to the tune of 390 net rushing yards and a trio of backs all reached the 100-yard rushing total for the second time in program history.
Price also spearheaded the offensive line in the win at No. 9/10 Texas A&M. He led the team with an 84 percent grade with four knockdown blocks. Playing every play, he also allowed no quarterback sacks and committed zero penalties.
In UK’s most recent upset of a top-10 squad in No. 10/10 LSU, Price paced the Cats with five knockdown blocks, had no assignment errors or penalties and allowed no sacks. On UK’s first offensive play, Price cleared a hole for CJ Baxter, who dashed 77 yards to the LSU 3-yard line. Quarterback Kenny Minchey’s game-winning 2-point conversion scamper was cleared with a seal block from Price.
The Cats scored 35 points, rushed for 155 yards and amassed 401 total yards of offense against a defense that entered the game allowing just 15.2 points, 54.8 rushing yards and 220.6 total yards per game.
Sports Illustrated, which tabbed Price to its midseason All-America squad, said this about his early season performance: “Arguably no offensive line has been more improved than Kentucky’s and Price, one of multiple transfers, has helped lead the charge. Price is a stout pass protector and is able to get downfield in the running game, making him one of the more valuable centers in the country.”
The Rimington Trophy considered nominations based on in-season merit and data provided by Pro Football Focus. It is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding center. Dave Rimington, the award’s namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1983, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy’s only two-time winner as the nation’s finest collegiate interior lineman.
Kentucky returns to action Oct. 17 when the Wildcats travel to Oklahoma for the first time since 1980. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on SEC Network.
For complete coverage of the Wildcats, follow @UKFootball on social media and visit UKathletics.com.
