Miami's Dan Morgan Named Butkus Award Finalist
Nov. 9, 2000
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – University of Miami senior linebacker Dan Morgan has been named one of three finalists for the Dick Butkus Award honoring college football’s finest linebacker, the Butkus Award selection committee announced Thursday.
Morgan, a senior from Coral Springs, FL, (Taravella HS) joins Rocky Calmus of the University of Oklahoma and Keith Adams of Clemson University as finalists for this year’s award, which is named for the former Chicago Bears linebacker and NFL Hall of Fame member. The 2000 Butkus Award winner will be announced at the Butkus Award Gala on Friday, December 8, at the Hard Rock Live at Universal Studios CityWalk.
This season, Morgan has twice been named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week and he is on pace to set a new Miami record for tackles in a career, a feat he could accomplish as soon as this Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh. Morgan now has 487 career tackles, just three behind current UM record holder George Mira, Jr., (1984-87) who finished his UM career with 490 stops.
A mid-season All-American by CNNSI, Morgan leads Miami with 93 total tackles (62 solo) and eight tackles for losses. Morgan has placed among the nation’s top 10 in tackles average (11.6 per game) all season and has been named a semifinalist for Defensive Player of the Year by The Football News.
“Being selected as a finalist for the Butkus Award is a tremendous honor,” Morgan said. “It’s very rewarding to be recognized as one of the best linebackers in college football and, in some ways, is the realization of a dream. To be mentioned among the finalists is a great compliment, not only to myself, but also to my coaches and teammates that have always been so supportive of me. I couldn’t have achieved anything without their help and support.”
Past Butkus Award finalists from Miami:
Maurice Crum, 1990
Michael Barrow, 1992
Ray Lewis, 1995
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