Henderson Named Semifinalist for the Butkus Award
10/18/2001 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 18, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Orlando-- The Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. (DACO) has announced the 12 semifinalists for this year's Butkus Award®, which is awarded annually to the best linebacker in college football. Included on this year's list is Maryland middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, the Terps' leading tackler this season.
Henderson, who has posted a team-high 78 tackles and 16 tackles for loss, was named a semifinalist despite not making the award's original "watch list." Teammate Aaron Thompson was the lone Terp on the list of 69 players at the start of 2001.
This year, there was a three-way tie for the 10th spot on the list normally comprised of 10 semifinalists. This is the second time in three years that there have been more than 10 semi-finalists. The Butkus Award® has been presented since 1985.
The list was determined by confidential balloting of the 29-member Butkus Award® Selection Committee, comprised of the nation's foremost media members. The Selection Committee made their selections from the initial Butkus Award® Watch List of 69 college linebackers, which was announced back on August 23, 2001.
On Thursday, November 15, 2001, DACO will announce the three finalists for this year's Butkus Award® at a national teleconference from the Downtown Marriott Orlando. The three Butkus Award® finalists and their coaches will participate in the announcement. The 2001 Butkus Award® winner will be announced at the Butkus Award® Presentation Ceremony on Friday, December 7, 2001 by the award's namesake Dick Butkus.
The 12 semifinalists (in alphabetical order) for the
2001 Butkus Award® are:
1. Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma 2. Andra Davis, Florida 3. Kalimba Edwards, South Carolina 4. Trev Faulk, LSU 5. LeVar Fisher, NC State 6. Larry Foote, Michigan 7. E.J. Henderson, Maryland 8. D.D. Lewis, Texas 9. Ryan Nece, UCLA 10. Ben Taylor, Virginia Tech 11. Robert Thomas, UCLA 12. Josh Thornhill, Michigan State
