David Molk
Encyclopedia
David Molk is an American football
center
who is playing his redshirt senior season for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team
. For the 2011 season, he began the year on the Outland Trophy
, Lombardi Award
& Rimington Trophy watch lists. He earned the 2011 Big Ten Conference Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Award and was a repeat first team All-Big Ten Conference
selection by the coaches and a second team selection by the media. Returning from injury as a redshirt junior for the 2010 team
, he was included on the 2010 Rimington Trophy preseason watchlist and upon conclusion of the regular season, became a finalist for the award. He finished that season as a first team All-Big Ten Conference
selection by the coaches and a second team selection by the media. He was also recognized as an honorable mention All-American by Sports Illustrated
. He had been included on the 2009 preseason watchlists for the Lombardi Award and the Rimington Trophy. However, after helping the 2009 team
get off to a 3–0 start he was injured and only saw action in one more game during the season. He had started all 12 games at center and played every snap at center during his first year as a starter for the 2008 team
. Molk attended high school at Chicago Southland
suburb Lemont Township High School. He was an All-State selection.
110 lbs and squat
250 lbs. By the end of his junior year, he was one of the most highly-recruited high school football
players in the Chicago metropolitan area. By his senior season, he was a 6 in 2 in (1.88 m) 270 lbs center
who could bench press 370 lbs, squat 550 lbs and power clean 320 lbs. His high school gym closed at 5:00 PM and he had to go into town for extra workout time. He chose to be a center because, although he is too short to be a major Division I college football
offensive guard or offensive tackle, he had the potential to be a successful center. He was actually discovered when a scout came to his school to watch a teammate. During the summer prior to his senior season, he made a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan
, in part due to its business school, the Ross School of Business
. At the end of his junior year he had received scholarship offers from ten schools, including six Big Ten Conference
football programs.
As a senior, Molk was selected to numerous All-area football teams by various organizations including The Star, Daily Southtown
, and Prep Football Report selected by Tom Lemming. In addition, he was selected to the Chicago Tribune
All-State team, and he was selected to play in the first East-West All-America Football Game sponsored by ESPN
and MLS Sports in suburb Lake Buena Vista
on January 6, 2007. Molk was also an honors student
in his senior year of high school.
, Molk was a serious contender to start in the season opener due to injuries for the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
. Upon the arrival of new head coach
Rich Rodriguez
in the spring prior to the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
, Molk was expected to be a starter for the 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
after redshirtting
the prior year. He spent the summer after his redshirt season perfecting the shotgun formation
snap
. However, he endured a serious undisclosed illness that caused him to lose 15 lbs and found himself in a battle with redshirt junior David Moosman to be the starting center. As his struggles continued, it was revealed that he had mononucleosis
. Despite his struggles, he was awarded the Iron Wolverine Award at the spring football awards in recognition of his superior conditioning based on a series of physical tests. As a result of injuries, both Moosman and Molk were in the starting lineup for the 2008 opener. Offensive line injuries continued to affect the lineup through the early part of the season with Molk (center), Moosman (right offensive guard) and Stephen Schilling
(right offensive tackle) being the only players to start each of the first four games. Molk injured his toe at the end of the November 8, 2008 Battle for the Little Brown Jug
against Minnesota
, but he was fine the folloiwning week. As the young offense finished the season with a 3–9 record, it expected its entire starting offensive line to return the following season. In fact, considering injuries, the team returned a total of seven offensive linemen who started games.
In Molk's second year of spring football he earned the sophomore award for toughness and work ethic during the Michigan spring football awards. By the end of the spring he was among the 44 centers on the 2009 Rimington Trophy spring watch list for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
. He was also included on the watch list for the 2009 Lombardi Award
. Molk suffered a broken foot in the third game of the season as the 2009 Wolverines
pushed their record to 3–0 and had surgery two days later. He was expected to miss 4–6 weeks. After missing four games, he returned to practice. However, during the subsequent game against Penn State
on October 24, he tore knee ligament
s and was lost for the season as well as spring football.
As a redshirt junior, he was selected to the 2010
preseason Rimington Trophy watchlist for the 2010 Michigan Wolverines football team
and later a finalist after the regular season had concluded. Following the Big Ten conference regular season he was a first team All-conference selection by the coaches and second team member as selected by the media. He was also recognized by Sports Illustrated as an honorable mention All-American.
As a fifth-year senior he was selected to three preseason watchlists: the Outland Trophy
list, which goes to the nation's top interior lineman; the Lombardi Award watch list, which is awarded to the nation's top lineman; and the Rimington Trophy watch list, which is awarded to the nation's top center. He earned the 2011 Big Ten Conference Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Award (the first year it was thusly named) and was a repeat first team All-Big Ten Conference
selection by the coaches and a second team selection by the media.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
who is playing his redshirt senior season for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team
2011 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolverines play in the Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference and play their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which hosted its first...
. For the 2011 season, he began the year on the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
, Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
& Rimington Trophy watch lists. He earned the 2011 Big Ten Conference Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Award and was a repeat first team All-Big Ten Conference
2011 Big Ten Conference football season
The 2011 Big Ten Conference football season is the 116th and current season for the Big Ten. The conference started its season on Saturday, September 3, as each of the conference’s teams began their respective 2011 season of NCAA Division I FBS competition...
selection by the coaches and a second team selection by the media. Returning from injury as a redshirt junior for the 2010 team
2010 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2010 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Michigan played its home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference. The season was the first since the renovation of...
, he was included on the 2010 Rimington Trophy preseason watchlist and upon conclusion of the regular season, became a finalist for the award. He finished that season as a first team All-Big Ten Conference
2010 Big Ten Conference football season
The 2010 Big Ten Conference football season was the 115th season for the Big Ten. The conference started its season on Thursday, September 2, as conference member Minnesota traveled to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to face Middle Tennessee, and Ohio State hosted the Thundering Herd of Marshall...
selection by the coaches and a second team selection by the media. He was also recognized as an honorable mention All-American by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. He had been included on the 2009 preseason watchlists for the Lombardi Award and the Rimington Trophy. However, after helping the 2009 team
2009 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2009 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2009 college football season. They played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference...
get off to a 3–0 start he was injured and only saw action in one more game during the season. He had started all 12 games at center and played every snap at center during his first year as a starter for the 2008 team
2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach was Rich Rodriguez. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
. Molk attended high school at Chicago Southland
Chicago Southland
The Chicago Southland is the suburban region south and southwest of the City of Chicago, made up of approximately 70 municipalities. This region has been known as the Chicago Southland by the local populace and regional media for about 20 years....
suburb Lemont Township High School. He was an All-State selection.
High school
Molk was once a 5 in 6 in (1.68 m) 175 lbs Lemont Township High School freshman who could only bench pressBench press
The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight...
110 lbs and squat
Squat (exercise)
In strength training, the squat is a compound, full body exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks, quads , hamstrings, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body...
250 lbs. By the end of his junior year, he was one of the most highly-recruited high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
players in the Chicago metropolitan area. By his senior season, he was a 6 in 2 in (1.88 m) 270 lbs center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
who could bench press 370 lbs, squat 550 lbs and power clean 320 lbs. His high school gym closed at 5:00 PM and he had to go into town for extra workout time. He chose to be a center because, although he is too short to be a major Division I college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
offensive guard or offensive tackle, he had the potential to be a successful center. He was actually discovered when a scout came to his school to watch a teammate. During the summer prior to his senior season, he made a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, in part due to its business school, the Ross School of Business
Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the business school of the University of Michigan. Numerous publications have ranked the Ross School of Business' Bachelor of Business Administration , Master of Business Administration and Executive Education programs among the top in the country and the...
. At the end of his junior year he had received scholarship offers from ten schools, including six Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
football programs.
As a senior, Molk was selected to numerous All-area football teams by various organizations including The Star, Daily Southtown
Daily Southtown
The SouthtownStar is a newspaper of the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area that covers the south suburbs of Chicago and the South Side neighborhoods of the city - a wide region known as the Chicago Southland. Its popular slogan is "People Up North Just Don't Get It"...
, and Prep Football Report selected by Tom Lemming. In addition, he was selected to the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
All-State team, and he was selected to play in the first East-West All-America Football Game sponsored by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and MLS Sports in suburb Lake Buena Vista
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Lake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake....
on January 6, 2007. Molk was also an honors student
Honors student
An honors student is a person recognized for achieving high grades or high marks in their course work.Honors students may refer to# Students recognized for their academic achievement on lists published periodically throughout the school year, known as honor rolls, varying from school to school, and...
in his senior year of high school.
College
Entering the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
, Molk was a serious contender to start in the season opener due to injuries for the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2007 college football season. This was Lloyd Carr's final season as Michigan head coach. The 2007 season began with a stunning loss to Appalachian State, but the Wolverines won eight straight games after...
. Upon the arrival of new head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
in the spring prior to the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
, Molk was expected to be a starter for the 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach was Rich Rodriguez. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
after redshirtting
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
the prior year. He spent the summer after his redshirt season perfecting the shotgun formation
Shotgun formation
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in American and Canadian football. This formation is used mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage,...
snap
Snap (football)
A snap starts each American football and Canadian football play from scrimmage.-Action:...
. However, he endured a serious undisclosed illness that caused him to lose 15 lbs and found himself in a battle with redshirt junior David Moosman to be the starting center. As his struggles continued, it was revealed that he had mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis is an infectious, widespread viral...
. Despite his struggles, he was awarded the Iron Wolverine Award at the spring football awards in recognition of his superior conditioning based on a series of physical tests. As a result of injuries, both Moosman and Molk were in the starting lineup for the 2008 opener. Offensive line injuries continued to affect the lineup through the early part of the season with Molk (center), Moosman (right offensive guard) and Stephen Schilling
Stephen Schilling
Stephen Dana Schilling is an American football offensive guard for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was included on the 2009 preseason watchlist for the Lombardi Award...
(right offensive tackle) being the only players to start each of the first four games. Molk injured his toe at the end of the November 8, 2008 Battle for the Little Brown Jug
Little Brown Jug (football)
The Little Brown Jug is an earthenware jug that serves as a trophy awarded to the winner of the American college football rivalry game played annually by the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team of the university of Minnesota and the Michigan Wolverines football team of the University of Michigan...
against Minnesota
2008 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
The 2008 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was the second under head coach Tim Brewster. They began play on August 30, 2008 at home against Northern Illinois from the Mid-American Conference, and finished the regular season against Iowa, on November 22. It was the Golden Gophers' final...
, but he was fine the folloiwning week. As the young offense finished the season with a 3–9 record, it expected its entire starting offensive line to return the following season. In fact, considering injuries, the team returned a total of seven offensive linemen who started games.
In Molk's second year of spring football he earned the sophomore award for toughness and work ethic during the Michigan spring football awards. By the end of the spring he was among the 44 centers on the 2009 Rimington Trophy spring watch list for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
. He was also included on the watch list for the 2009 Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
. Molk suffered a broken foot in the third game of the season as the 2009 Wolverines
2009 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2009 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2009 college football season. They played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference...
pushed their record to 3–0 and had surgery two days later. He was expected to miss 4–6 weeks. After missing four games, he returned to practice. However, during the subsequent game against Penn State
2009 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2009 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the 2009 college football season. The team is coached by Joe Paterno and plays its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State had the highest graduation rate among all of...
on October 24, he tore knee ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
s and was lost for the season as well as spring football.
As a redshirt junior, he was selected to the 2010
2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for...
preseason Rimington Trophy watchlist for the 2010 Michigan Wolverines football team
2010 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2010 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Michigan played its home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference. The season was the first since the renovation of...
and later a finalist after the regular season had concluded. Following the Big Ten conference regular season he was a first team All-conference selection by the coaches and second team member as selected by the media. He was also recognized by Sports Illustrated as an honorable mention All-American.
As a fifth-year senior he was selected to three preseason watchlists: the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
list, which goes to the nation's top interior lineman; the Lombardi Award watch list, which is awarded to the nation's top lineman; and the Rimington Trophy watch list, which is awarded to the nation's top center. He earned the 2011 Big Ten Conference Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Award (the first year it was thusly named) and was a repeat first team All-Big Ten Conference
2011 Big Ten Conference football season
The 2011 Big Ten Conference football season is the 116th and current season for the Big Ten. The conference started its season on Saturday, September 3, as each of the conference’s teams began their respective 2011 season of NCAA Division I FBS competition...
selection by the coaches and a second team selection by the media.
External links
- Official bio at Michigan
- Molk at CBS SportsCBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
- Molk at NCAA.org
- Molk archive at AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com is an online newspaper that covers local news of Ann Arbor, Michigan and the surrounding Washtenaw County, Michigan.- Overview :...