E.J. Henderson Tackles The Butkus Award
12/13/2002 7:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 13, 2002
ORLANDO, Fla. -
E.J. Henderson, one of the key figures in Maryland's return to football prominence, tonight capped his outstanding four-year career by being named the 2002 recipient of the Dick Butkus Award, which is presented annually by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando to the nation's outstanding linebacker.
The award is named for former University of Illinois and Chicago Bear great Dick Butkus, who is generally regarded as the greatest middle linebacker in football history.
The honor was the second major accolade in as many days for Henderson, who was recognized Thursday night as the 2002 winner of the Chuck Bednarik Trophy as the nation's outstanding defensive player during the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Awards Show.
Henderson, a Butkus finalist a year ago, won the award over fellow finalists Teddy Lehman of Oklahoma and Courtney Watson of Notre Dame.
"I'm glad all the hard work has paid off," said Henderson, a 6-2, 250-pounder who totaled 163 tackles, including 15.5 for losses, this past season. "Over the summer, when I was spending the extra time working out, all I was thinking about was making it back to Orlando as a Butkus Award finalist. I didn't want to disappoint anybody by being someone who was a finalist as a junior but not as a senior. This award is proof I didn't fall off despite the back injury."
Henderson underwent back surgery in early April and missed all of spring drills. He returned to practice shortly after Maryland opened fall camp in early August, but he instantly showed everyone he was the E.J. Henderson of old, leading the Terps in tackles in the season opener vs. Notre Dame and in 10 of 13 games during the regular season.
He ended the year with back-to-back 19-tackle efforts vs. Virginia and Wake Forest, including a career-best 16 solos, an interception and a safety vs. the Demon Deacons in his final appearance at Byrd Stadium in College Park.
"He's the best linebacker I've seen the past two years," said his head coach, Ralph Friedgen, who introduced Henderson at tonight's Butkus gala, which was attended by Henderson's family. "He's meant so much to our football program. He has been a model of consistency game in and game out,day in and day out. He's a true warrior. Dick Butkus would be very proud of E.J. Henderson."
Henderson is the first Butkus Award winner from the University of Maryland and only the third from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The last ACC player to win the award was Florida State's Marvin Jones in 1992.
The winner was selected by the independent Butkus
Award Selection Committee, comprised of the nation's
foremost media members. The Butkus Award is regarded as one of the most
elite individual honors in college football.
Past recipients include such outstanding linebackers as
Rocky Calmus (2001-Oklahoma); Dan Morgan (2000-Miami
(FL); 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).
