Tuesday, 04 December 2018 05:30 PM
Advertorial
BATON ROUGE, LA / ACCESSWIRE / December 4, 2018 / The 34th annual collegiate Butkus
Award
White, the first LSU Tiger to win the award, received 38 percent of the first-place votes and 32 percent of the weighted vote.
The 6-1, 240 lb. junior linebacker was pivotal to the Tigers' 9-3 regular season, where he notched a team-leading 115 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Following White was Josh Allen of Kentucky who received 28 percent of the weighted vote, Devin Bush of Michigan (23 percent), and Dylan Moses of Alabama (11 percent). Tre Lamar of Clemson and write-ins David Long of West Virginia and Markus Bailey of Purdue shared the balance of votes.
The selection committee stated: ''In a closely contested race, Devin White emerged as this year's winner best embodying the toughness and on-field tenacity of legendary linebacker Dick Butkus. White is a competitive playmaker who stood out in the tough Southeastern Conference with outstanding speed and instincts. He was consistently impactful for LSU.''
The Butkus Award® selection committee is comprised of 51 football coaches, recruiters, talent scouts and journalists who study football talent yearlong. Selectors are asked to recognize qualities that defined Butkus' career: toughness, on-field leadership, competitiveness, football character, and linebacking skills. They follow a 3-2-1 weighted vote in a confidential ballot.
The 2017 collegiate winner was Roquan Smith of Georgia (now Chicago Bears). The 2017 high school winner was Solomon Tuliaupupu of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. (now USC). The 2017 pro winner was Luke Kuechly (Carolina Panthers) who increased his collection to three pro awards and one collegiate award (Boston College).
The Butkus Award® is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a non-profit 501c3 organization which advances health and wellness. This includes the I Play Clean® program which encourages athletes to play using their natural ability and avoid the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Each candidate provided a written confirmation that they play clean.
The Butkus Award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which includes 23 awards honoring 800 individuals since 1935.
Contact:
Ron Arp,
Butkus Foundation
Phone: 360.601.2991
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE: Butkus Foundation