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University of Minnesota Athletics
The Unsung Hero; Junior Center Greg Eslinger
10/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Rimington Trophy was created in 2000 by former NFL great Boomer Esiason to be awarded to the nation's most outstanding collegiate center. Why would a former Super Bowl quarterback go out of his way to create this award? He did so because although vastly under appreciated, the center is one of the most important positions on any football team. Esiason calls them, "the game's unsung heroes."
Although the media in general may underappreciate centers, don't tell that to this years' Gopher team. Eslinger may be the most appreciated player on the team, because the consensus is that he makes everyone else better.
Junior defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery who goes head-to-head with Eslinger everyday, would not want it any other way. "Greg brings so much intensity every play of every practice," Montgomery said. "His leverage is unbelievable, and he goes so hard. He makes me a better player."
Second-team center Tyson Swaggert could not pick a better person to learn from. "I learn so much from Greg; he doesn't screw up. No one tries harder than him, he sets the bar of what all of us are trying to achieve," Swaggert said.
Running back Laurence Maroney is just as enthusiastic about having a teammate like Eslinger, "Running behind guys like Greg makes my job so much easier. He creates bigger holes, which gives me more room to do my thing," the 1,000-yard rusher stated. Maroney has also described Eslinger's effort as "an engine that just won't stop."
New starting quarterback Bryan Cupito credits Eslinger with easing his transition to the first team.
"He's the best in the nation, he's made it real easy for me," Cupito said. "It gives you an added confidence having a center like that. How much better could it be?"
It's no wonder with all this appreciation from his teammates that others have taken notice to Eslinger. He is not just a great center, as seen by being on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, but one of the most highly-touted offensive lineman in the country. Eslinger is also on the Lombardi Award watch list, given to the nation's top lineman, he is a 2004 Playboy All-American, and was named a preseason second team All-American. The Sporting News and Lindy's have tabbed Eslinger as the second-best center in the country.
Following last season, the Associated Press named Eslinger a third-team All-American, and he was voted First Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. Racking up praise from all around the country, he also is accomplished in the classroom, becoming an Academic All-Big Ten selection and scholar-athlete award winner.
All of this recognition does not seem to faze the humble Eslinger as he remains team-focused, and credits his teammates for his individual success.
"I really don't pay attention to that stuff (awards and honors) at all," Eslinger said. "I put it all into perspective, and without the team surrounding me I wouldn't look so good. The guys on my left and right make me look better than I am, not even to mention the outstanding running backs we have making guys miss, and taking pressure off guys like me."
The guy on his left, guard Mark Setterstrom, throws the compliments right back at his linemate. He is going on his third year in a row of playing alongside Eslinger, and feels that it is because of this he has had a successful Gopher career so far.
"Playing next to Greg for this long has made a world of a difference," he said. "We've had a certain chemistry from day one that is unlike anything I've ever seen. Sometimes on the line, I don't even have to make a call, because we always know what each other is going to do. Playing with a guy like him gives me complete confidence." Eslinger is a true team player, and that is probably a big reason why he was voted a team captain this season, although he is only a junior. His confident yet grounded demeanor adds to his leadership ability.
On receiving the role of captain he said, "It's a real big honor, I feel blessed that my teammates would nominate me for such an honor, and I hope I can live up to their expectations."
Number 61 should have no problem living up to his teammates expectations as a captain, as Eslinger was one of the key components in getting a majority of the team to participate in intense off-season workouts. These workouts included running up and down hills around campus to increase endurance. The taste of last season's success was a key motivator in getting the team to work so hard.
Eslinger commented that, "We have a chip on our shoulders. We want to get to that big bowl game, and we want to have the respect of all the teams and players, not only in the Big Ten Conference, but in the nation."
Eslinger believes the sky is the limit for this year's team, who has many contributors returning from a team that won 10 games last year. He is not afraid to say that the goal this year is not just to be successful, but also to be the best in the Big Ten.
"The bar has been raised a bit higher this season," Eslinger said. "We put a lot of pressure on ourselves this past offseason to get better, and we will continue to put pressure on ourselves during the season to keep improving because we know what we are capable of. We're aiming high this year; we're going for the Rose Bowl. That's our first and foremost goal, to win a Big Ten Championship."
One of the new additions to the Gophers' starting lineup is Cupito, whom Eslinger works extremely well with. It should take a lot of pressure off the new quarterback, not having to worry about shaky fundamentals like a quarterback-center exchange. In fact, Eslinger has stated that he is extremely impressed with the way Cupito has taken the helm.
"Cupito established himself during the spring and he demands a lot of respect in the huddle," Eslinger said. "That is what every lineman looks for - a guy who you have confidence in. He will get the job done this season, we have absolutely no doubts in Cupito."
Even as focused as Eslinger is on all his athletic and academic goals he doesn't forget how lucky he is to have school paid for and to be able to play Big Ten football. The 21-year-old Eslinger cannot imagine a better way to go through this time of his life.
"Hey, I'm having a blast, I mean this isn't going to last forever," Eslinger stated. "Bar-none the competition in the Big Ten is the best. It's great going up against the high caliber future NFL players in this league."
Away from football, the self-described "teddy bear, nice guy" spends what little time he has fishing or hanging out with his friends. This genuine kindness makes it difficult to comprehend how the baby-faced lineman is such a terror on the field. He is part of that rare breed that contains the ability to turn it on once he hits the turf or the weight room. To get where he is today, a majority of his time is spent working out, lifting weights and of course, like all college students, studying.
It is not hard to believe that Gophers Assistant Athletic Communications Director Shane Sandersfeld labels Eslinger a class act. He stated that Eslinger is "as classy as they get, a one of a kind when it comes to how he carries himself on and off the field."
An example of how upstanding Eslinger is can be portrayed in the way he handled being named a Playboy All-American. After hearing of this recognition he went directly to Coach Mason to ask about attending the banquet in Arizona. Eslinger expressed to his coach that he did not want to attend if it would distract the team or blemish team chemistry. After the conclusion of spring practice Mason addressed the entire team, and asked if any player had a problem with Eslinger attending the banquet. Of course, nobody uttered a word.
That selfless act of putting the team first, even in light of a high honor is directly correlated to the way he is appreciated by his team. There are so many components that make Eslinger the man he is: the leadership, the dedication, the selfless nature, the hard work, the effort, and the almost flawless play. How could anyone under appreciate that?
Written by Dominic Ladd, Athletic Communications student assistant. Ladd welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu
Golden Gophers' center Greg Eslinger has a legitimate shot to become the first Rimington Trophy winner in school history, but chances are you have no idea what the Rimington Trophy is. Don't worry; about half of the people inside of college football don't know what it is either.
The Rimington Trophy was created in 2000 by former NFL great Boomer Esiason to be awarded to the nation's most outstanding collegiate center. Why would a former Super Bowl quarterback go out of his way to create this award? He did so because although vastly under appreciated, the center is one of the most important positions on any football team. Esiason calls them, "the game's unsung heroes."
Although the media in general may underappreciate centers, don't tell that to this years' Gopher team. Eslinger may be the most appreciated player on the team, because the consensus is that he makes everyone else better.
Junior defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery who goes head-to-head with Eslinger everyday, would not want it any other way. "Greg brings so much intensity every play of every practice," Montgomery said. "His leverage is unbelievable, and he goes so hard. He makes me a better player."
Second-team center Tyson Swaggert could not pick a better person to learn from. "I learn so much from Greg; he doesn't screw up. No one tries harder than him, he sets the bar of what all of us are trying to achieve," Swaggert said.
Running back Laurence Maroney is just as enthusiastic about having a teammate like Eslinger, "Running behind guys like Greg makes my job so much easier. He creates bigger holes, which gives me more room to do my thing," the 1,000-yard rusher stated. Maroney has also described Eslinger's effort as "an engine that just won't stop."
New starting quarterback Bryan Cupito credits Eslinger with easing his transition to the first team.
"He's the best in the nation, he's made it real easy for me," Cupito said. "It gives you an added confidence having a center like that. How much better could it be?"
It's no wonder with all this appreciation from his teammates that others have taken notice to Eslinger. He is not just a great center, as seen by being on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, but one of the most highly-touted offensive lineman in the country. Eslinger is also on the Lombardi Award watch list, given to the nation's top lineman, he is a 2004 Playboy All-American, and was named a preseason second team All-American. The Sporting News and Lindy's have tabbed Eslinger as the second-best center in the country.
Following last season, the Associated Press named Eslinger a third-team All-American, and he was voted First Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. Racking up praise from all around the country, he also is accomplished in the classroom, becoming an Academic All-Big Ten selection and scholar-athlete award winner.
All of this recognition does not seem to faze the humble Eslinger as he remains team-focused, and credits his teammates for his individual success.
"I really don't pay attention to that stuff (awards and honors) at all," Eslinger said. "I put it all into perspective, and without the team surrounding me I wouldn't look so good. The guys on my left and right make me look better than I am, not even to mention the outstanding running backs we have making guys miss, and taking pressure off guys like me."
The guy on his left, guard Mark Setterstrom, throws the compliments right back at his linemate. He is going on his third year in a row of playing alongside Eslinger, and feels that it is because of this he has had a successful Gopher career so far.
"Playing next to Greg for this long has made a world of a difference," he said. "We've had a certain chemistry from day one that is unlike anything I've ever seen. Sometimes on the line, I don't even have to make a call, because we always know what each other is going to do. Playing with a guy like him gives me complete confidence." Eslinger is a true team player, and that is probably a big reason why he was voted a team captain this season, although he is only a junior. His confident yet grounded demeanor adds to his leadership ability.
On receiving the role of captain he said, "It's a real big honor, I feel blessed that my teammates would nominate me for such an honor, and I hope I can live up to their expectations."
Number 61 should have no problem living up to his teammates expectations as a captain, as Eslinger was one of the key components in getting a majority of the team to participate in intense off-season workouts. These workouts included running up and down hills around campus to increase endurance. The taste of last season's success was a key motivator in getting the team to work so hard.
Eslinger commented that, "We have a chip on our shoulders. We want to get to that big bowl game, and we want to have the respect of all the teams and players, not only in the Big Ten Conference, but in the nation."
Eslinger believes the sky is the limit for this year's team, who has many contributors returning from a team that won 10 games last year. He is not afraid to say that the goal this year is not just to be successful, but also to be the best in the Big Ten.
"The bar has been raised a bit higher this season," Eslinger said. "We put a lot of pressure on ourselves this past offseason to get better, and we will continue to put pressure on ourselves during the season to keep improving because we know what we are capable of. We're aiming high this year; we're going for the Rose Bowl. That's our first and foremost goal, to win a Big Ten Championship."
One of the new additions to the Gophers' starting lineup is Cupito, whom Eslinger works extremely well with. It should take a lot of pressure off the new quarterback, not having to worry about shaky fundamentals like a quarterback-center exchange. In fact, Eslinger has stated that he is extremely impressed with the way Cupito has taken the helm.
"Cupito established himself during the spring and he demands a lot of respect in the huddle," Eslinger said. "That is what every lineman looks for - a guy who you have confidence in. He will get the job done this season, we have absolutely no doubts in Cupito."
Even as focused as Eslinger is on all his athletic and academic goals he doesn't forget how lucky he is to have school paid for and to be able to play Big Ten football. The 21-year-old Eslinger cannot imagine a better way to go through this time of his life.
"Hey, I'm having a blast, I mean this isn't going to last forever," Eslinger stated. "Bar-none the competition in the Big Ten is the best. It's great going up against the high caliber future NFL players in this league."
Away from football, the self-described "teddy bear, nice guy" spends what little time he has fishing or hanging out with his friends. This genuine kindness makes it difficult to comprehend how the baby-faced lineman is such a terror on the field. He is part of that rare breed that contains the ability to turn it on once he hits the turf or the weight room. To get where he is today, a majority of his time is spent working out, lifting weights and of course, like all college students, studying.
It is not hard to believe that Gophers Assistant Athletic Communications Director Shane Sandersfeld labels Eslinger a class act. He stated that Eslinger is "as classy as they get, a one of a kind when it comes to how he carries himself on and off the field."
An example of how upstanding Eslinger is can be portrayed in the way he handled being named a Playboy All-American. After hearing of this recognition he went directly to Coach Mason to ask about attending the banquet in Arizona. Eslinger expressed to his coach that he did not want to attend if it would distract the team or blemish team chemistry. After the conclusion of spring practice Mason addressed the entire team, and asked if any player had a problem with Eslinger attending the banquet. Of course, nobody uttered a word.
That selfless act of putting the team first, even in light of a high honor is directly correlated to the way he is appreciated by his team. There are so many components that make Eslinger the man he is: the leadership, the dedication, the selfless nature, the hard work, the effort, and the almost flawless play. How could anyone under appreciate that?
Written by Dominic Ladd, Athletic Communications student assistant. Ladd welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu
