2000 Butkus Awards Watch List Announced

Aug. 26, 2000

ORLANDO, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. (DACO), the organization which annually presents the prestigious Butkus Award to the nation’s best collegiate linebacker has announced the preliminary list of 70 candidates for this year’s award.

Dan Morgan of Miami and Byron Thweatt of Virginia are both on the watch list for the third time in their careers and North Carolina’s Brandon Spoon is on his fourth consecutive Butkus Award Watch List. This is the first time that a linebacker has made the Butkus Award Watch List four years in a row in the award’s 16-year history.

The Butkus Award Watch List will be trimmed to 10 semi-finalists on October 19. The three finalists will be announced on a national teleconference on November 9 at Spectator’s Sports Bar at the Downtown Marriott Orlando. The winner will be announced Friday, December 8 during the Butkus Award Gala at Hard Rock Live at Universal Studios CityWalk. All three finalists, along with their coaches and families are invited to attend.

This year’s preliminary list includes 70 noteworthy candidates that represent schools and conferences from across the nation. The independent selection committee for the 2000 Butkus Award is comprised of 28 of the nation’s foremost media members. The Butkus Award Selection Committee members are beginning the process of reviewing the candidates this week. Additional candidates may be added in the coming weeks. The voting for the three finalists and Butkus Award winner will be conducted by confidential balloting of the Selection Committee.

There are 11 candidates making their second appearance on the Butkus Award Watch List: Rick Crowell (Colorado State), Ryan Nece (UCLA), Kautai Oleavo (Utah), Jerry Phillips (Tulane), Tommy Polley (Florida State), Kamal Shakir (Memphis), Tim Skipper (Fresno State), Taylor Suman (Temple), Jashon Sykes (Colorado), Clayton White (NC State) and Jamie Winborn (Vanderbilt).

The Butkus Award is regarded as one of the most elite individual honors in college football. Past recipients include outstanding linebackers such as LaVar Arrington (1999-Penn State), Chris Claiborne (1998-Southern California), Andy Katzenmoyer (1997-Ohio State), Matt Russell (1996 Colorado), Kevin Hardy (1995-Illinois), Dana Howard (1994-Illinois), Trev Alberts (1993-Nebraska), Marvin Jones (1992-Florida State), Erick Anderson (1991-Michigan), Alfred Williams (1990-Colorado), Percy Snow (1989-Michigan State), Derrick Thomas (1988-Alabama), Paul McGowan (1997-Florida State), and Brian Bosworth (1985 and 1986-Oklahoma). Created in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando Inc., the Butkus Award carries the name and support of one of the greatest middle linebackers in football history, Dick Butkus of Illinois.

2000 Butkus Award List of Candidates