Ohio State’s Pat Elflein named Big Ten Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year

Ohio State senior center Pat Elflein won the Big Ten’s Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year trophy on Wednesday night.

Elflein, a fifth-year senior and a team captain, is the second straight Buckeye to be designated as the Big Ten’s top lineman. Taylor Decker, who is presently the starting left tackle for the Detroit Lions, took home the award in 2015.

In large part due to Elflein’s consistently strong play, Ohio State has allowed the fewest tackles for loss in the Big Ten while also pacing the conference in rushing offense for the second straight season.

A Columbus native who attended Pickerington North High School, Elflein is in his initial season as the team’s first-string center after starting every game for the Buckeyes at either left or right guard from 2014-15. Elflein—was also recently named a finalist for the Outland Trophy, an award given to the nation’s top interior lineman—played in all 14 games as a reserve during the 2013 campaign.