SOUTH BEND, IN / ACCESSWIRE / December 21, 2020 / The 36th annual collegiate Butkus Award® honoring the nation's best collegiate linebacker was presented today to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, a senior at Notre Dame. The award was presented by football legend Dick Butkus and his son Matt in a surprise announcement during a virtual team meeting today.
Owusu-Koramoah received 30 percent of the weighted vote and 30 percent of the first-place votes in becoming the third Irish player to win the prestigious trophy, which honors top linebackers at three levels.
The 6-1, 215 lb. senior from Bethel High in Hampton, Va., had 56 tackles, 38 solo, three forced fumbles and a pair of recoveries for the 10-1 Irish, including a scoop-and-score touchdown in a regular season upset of Clemson. He recorded 79 tackles, 52 solo, his junior year.
The selection committee stated: "Owusu-Koramoah has proven to be an impact defender for one of the nation's top defenses. He is deployed in many alignments and must be accounted for wherever he aligns on the field. His versatility sets him apart and distinguished his contributions, with the unique ability to defend the pass as well as the run and factor as a weapon blitzing. He possesses an explosive skill set that translated to making plays at every level of the defense."
Following Owusu-Koramoah was Zaven Collins of Tulsa with 23 percent of the weighted vote, Nick Bolton of Missouri (21%), Monty Rice from Georgia (14%) and Devin Lloyd of Utah (9%). Blake Gallagher of Northwestern and Pete Werner of Ohio State also received votes.
The Butkus Award® selection committee is comprised of 51 football coaches, recruiters, talent scouts and journalists who study football talent yearlong. Selectors are asked to recognize qualities that defined Butkus' career: toughness, on-field leadership, competitiveness, football character and linebacking skills. They follow a 3-2-1 weighted vote in a confidential ballot.
Owusu-Koramoah succeeds 2019 collegiate winner Isaiah Simmons of Clemson (now Arizona Cardinals). He joins Jaylon Smith (now Dallas Cowboys) and Manti Te'o as Butkus winners at Notre Dame.
The Butkus Award® is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization which advances health and wellness through special initiatives. This includes the I Play Clean® program encouraging athletes to play using their natural ability, and the Butkus Takes Heart™ program encouraging preventive heart scans and screening among adults.
The Butkus Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. NCFAA's 25 awards have honored more than 800 since 1935.
CONTACT:
Ron Arp
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360.601.2991
SOURCE: Butkus Foundation