Butkus Award semi-finalists announced

By John Onan  |   Friday, November 11, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

College Football
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A pair of Big Ten linebackers, Paul Posluszny of Penn State and A.J. Hawk of Ohio State, along with Maryland's D'Qwell Jackson look to be the top candidates of the ten chosen as semi-finalists for the Dick Butkus Award, which is named for the former Chicago Bear great, and which goes to the finest linebacker in college football.

Three finalists will be selected on November 10, with the winner to be announced December 10 at the annual Butkus Award Gala in Orlando, Florida. Last year's winner was Derrick Johnson from Texas, who was the Kansas City Chiefs first-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Posluszny, known to his teammates as "Puz", leads the Nittany Lions in tackles with 106 along with three sacks. Playing for the school known as "Linebacker U", he is trying to become Penn State's first Butkus winner since 1999, when LaVar Arrington took home the trophy. Even better news for Penn State fans is the fact that Posluszny, a junior, stated after last weekend's game with Wisconsin that he is likely to come back to school for his senior season.

Another Big 10 standout at linebacker, Hawk from Ohio State, did indeed come back for his senior year and has paid dividends for the Buckeyes. He was a first-team All-American in 2004, and like Posluszny, a candidate for all major defensive awards. He leads his team with 94 tackles, including 11 1/2 for loss along with 6 1/2 sacks. Posluszny's Penn State squad won the head-to-head battle with Ohio State in Happy Valley last month.

Jackson has registered 14 tackles per game for the Terrapins, which is the most in the nation. Though his team hasn't had the success that Penn State and Ohio State have had this year, no one plays harder especially considering the players around him aren't as talented as those of the top ten ranked Nittany Lions and Buckeyes.

Other semi-finalists for the Butkus Award also include a pair of Florida State Seminoles, A.J. Nicholson and Ernie Sims, along with Chad Greenway, Iowa; Aaron Harris, Texas; Spencer Havner, UCLA; Tim McGarigle, Northwestern; and DeMeco Ryans, Alabama.
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