MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Winning the Rimington Award as the nation's top center wasn't one of Dan Mozes' goals when he arrived at West Virginia.
"It was beyond my dreams," he said. "Coming out of high school, I was hoping just to be able to play at a school like West Virginia. I just wanted to play a game here, and if that could happen, it would be awesome."
Mozes, a senior, won the prestigious award earlier this month after he helped the Mountaineers' running game rank second in the nation at 302.3 yards per game.
He will be one of three consensus All-Americans playing in the Gator Bowl Jan. 1 in Jacksonville, Fla., along with West Virginia running back Steve Slaton and Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
Mozes' goals have grown with his reputation. He'll play in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 27 in Mobile, Ala., where NFL scouts and general managers will project his position in the draft which will be held April 28-29 in New York.
"I'll start thinking about the NFL as soon as the last game is over," Mozes said. "Until then, it's all about winning games for West Virginia, because that's what got me the attention I now have. What gave me the possibility of even playing at the next level was playing football here.
"What leads to success is going out, working hard every day, and getting the job done," he said.
Mozes said he grew up in Washington admiring former Steelers players like Pro Football Hall of Fame center Mike Webster and 13-year veteran Dermontti Dawson.
"There was no Pitt, West Virginia or Penn State in my household," Mozes said. "It was pretty much all Steelers, and they have a tradition of hard-nosed centers.
"Playing at the next level was always just a dream. When people start saying it to you so much, then you start thinking about it. But I wasn't even thinking about the NFL level when I got here."
West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez views the Rimington as a career achievement award.
"I know that's a one-year award, but I like to think it's a cumulative award for his career," Rodriguez said. "Dan has done as much as an offensive lineman can do, leading our rushing attack and being a leader up front since his sophomore year.
"You've got to be a dominating player to be an All-American, but I think it's more than that. I think you also have to lead a successful team, and he's done that as well."
Mozes moved from left guard to center after two games last season, and he aired his first two snaps over quarterback Adam Bednarik -- much to the delight of a hostile Maryland crowd.
"I adapted pretty quickly after the coaches helped me calm down," Mozes said.
Mozes calls West Virginia's blocking assignments for the offensive line. He'll make his 23rd career start at center against Georgia Tech.
"Georgia Tech will give us just about every look you can possibly imagine," he said. "We'll see an even front, odd front, head-up on the nose."
Mozes doesn't expect a breather in his final game. Tech's defense ranks 11th nationally against the run at 88.9 yards per game.
"It's a great challenge against a very good defense," he said. "They were runner-up in the ACC, and that says a lot."
Mozes' award was named for Dave Rimington, a former Nebraska center and two-time Outland Trophy winner in 1981-82.
Notes: Rodriguez said most of his players will travel on their own to the bowl site today, with only about a third taking the team charter at the conclusion of their four-day holiday break. The Mountaineers begin on-site bowl practice Tuesday. "I think it's important they go home for a couple days and see their families," Rodriguez said. "It's a lot easier traveling on Christmas than it is after Christmas. We can leave the 26th, but I don't know if we can get everybody there in time to practice." ... West Virginia announced plans to construct the 5,600-square-foot Reynolds Family Academic Performance Center at Milan Puskar Stadium in 2007, making it five times the size of the existing study center. University officials also said the formal design process on the Robert and Erma Hartley Club Level is expected to be completed this winter, adding a 2,500-square-foot climate-controlled fan area with chairback seats.
