Moffitt on Butkus Watch List

[E.T.]

Moffitt on Butkus Watch List  

Courtesy: USF

Release: 08/29/2007

TAMPA, Fla. – University of South Florida senior linebacker Ben Moffitt has been named to the Butkus Award watch list.

It marks the second consecutive season that USF has a linebacker on the initial Butkus list.  Last year, Stephen Nicolas, who ended the year with 102 tackles, was among the preseason candidates.

USF has never had a Butkus award winner in 10 seasons of football, but they do have  Wally Burnham, who coached two previous winners -- Paul McGowan (1987) and Marvin Jones (1992) at Florida State.

The Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. (DACO), the organization which annually presents the prestigious Butkus Award ® to the nation's best collegiate linebacker, announced the preliminary list of 66 candidates on Wednesday.

The Butkus Award ® Watch List will be trimmed to 10 semi-finalists on Thursday, October 18.  That semi-finalist list will be cut down to three finalists and will be announced on Thursday, November 9.  The winner will be announced in December in Orlando, FL.

The independent Butkus Award ® Selection Committee for the 2007 Butkus Award ®, comprised of some of the nation's foremost journalists, is solely and exclusively responsible for all voting in the Butkus Award ® selection process.  Additional Watch List candidates may be added in the coming weeks due to outstanding in-season play.  Voting for the three finalists and the Butkus Award ® winner will be conducted by exclusive confidential ballots of the Selection Committee.

The Butkus Award ® is regarded as one of the most elite individual honors in college football.

2007 Butkus Watch List

Adibi, Xavier-Virginia Tech

Allen, Russell-San Diego State

Bell, Beau-UNLV

Bobino, Rashad-Texas

Bowen, Alvin-Iowa State

Brinkley, Jasper-South Carolina

Butler, Ezra-Nevada

Campbell, Ian-Kansas State

Carrington, Reggie-SMU

Carter, Reggie-UCLA

Casillas, Jonathan-Wisconsin

Castello, Matt-San Jose State

Chamberlain, Chris-Tulsa

Coleman, Nelson-Tulsa

Collins, Chris-Oklahoma State

Connor, Dan-Penn State

Cotton, Quentin-East Carolina

Crable, Shawn-Michigan

Crum, Maurice-Notre Dame

Cushing, Brian-Southern California

Dizon, Jordon-Colorado

Dobbs, Ward-Wyoming

Doggett, Derrick-Oregon State

Dunbar, Jolonn-Boston College

Follett, Zach-California

Fowler, Drew-Air Force

Freeman, Marcus-Ohio State

Goff, Jonathan-Vanderbilt

Hall, Prince-Alabama

Hall, Vince-Virginia Tech

Hayes, Geno-Florida State

Henderson, Erin-Maryland

Henegan, Ryan-Connecticut

Highsmith, Ali-LSU

Holman, Maurice-North Texas

Hudson, Joey-Miami-Ohio

Jackson, Malik-Louisville

Jiannoni, Joe-Utah

Jones, Jeremy-UTEP

Joseph, Franz-Florida Atlantic

Keith, Red-Central Michigan

Klinkenberg, Mike-Iowa

Lansanah, Danny-Connecticut

Larsen, Spencer-Arizona

Laurinaitis, James-Ohio State

Lavine, Patrick-Oklahoma State

Leman, J-Illinois

Leonard, Adam-Hawaii

Maualuga, Rey-Southern California

Mayo, Jerod-Tennessee

McCarthy, Tim-Northern Illinois

McKinnon, Koby-Arkansas State

Moffitt, Ben-South Florida

Pawelek, Joe-Baylor

Phillips, Jason-CU

Raines, Brian-Rice

Renkart, Brandon-Rutgers

Rivera, Mike-Kansas

Rivers, Keith-Southern California

Ruud, Bo-Nebraska

Tauiliili, Michael-Duke

Taylor, Christian-UCLA

Vobora, David-Idaho

Wheeler, Phillip-Georgia Tech

Williams, Reed-West Virginia

Woodyard, Wesley-Kentucky

[Jihme]

thank goodness it's only down to a few people

i'm j/k... i hope he lives up to the potential!  Go Bulls!

[Matt]

Ben's  a great player and i'm glad he has this honor but it seems like anyone who is a returning starter and had a some what successful season last year gets thrown onto the list.

basically, they cant give the award to someone who wasn't on the list to begin with so they want to cover all bases and make sure there isnt a player who has a huge breakout year that they missed.

could you imagine how big the offical "heisman" watch list would be if there was one right now?  20 people probably.  maybe more.

Best of Luck to Ben but you can all but wrap up the fact that this award will probably go to Conner from Penn St or the guy from Ohio St.  they seem to favor big 10 guys with this award

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

I agree with Greg Auman....

Starting this list with about 30 would be plenty.  Still, Ben is a top 10-15 linebacker, in my opinion.

I think I saw my name on that list!  ;D

[Apis Bull]

Great picture!

[E.T.]

When the season is finished and NFL scouts take a hard look at his career, they will be impressed.

Go BULLS !!!