Morrison Earns Spot on Rotary Lombardi Award, Butkus Award Preseason Watch Lists
Tuesday, July 14, 2015 | Football
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Senior linebacker Antonio Morrison was named to a pair of preseason watch lists Tuesday- the 2015 Rotary Lombardi Award watch list and the 31st annual Butkus Award preseason watch list on Tuesday.
The Bellwood, Ill. native earned Second Team All-SEC honors by the leagues' coaches, the Associated Press and Phil Steele. Morrison led the Gators with 101 tackles during the 2014 season and became the first UF player to have 100 tackles since Ahmad Black in 2010, and the first linebacker to amass 100 tackles since Brandon Spikes had 131 in 2007.
Since its inception in 1970, the Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman – offense or defense – who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi. The watch list will continue to expand as pre-season honors are announced and the 2015 football season begins.
The first round of voting ends on November 3, 2015, with the announcement of the top 12 semifinalists on November 5, 2015. The Rotary Lombardi Award will be presented on December 9, 2015 at the Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas. The winner is selected through a committee of more than 500 members, including all past winners and finalists, all Division I coaches and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Named for retired NFL Player, Dick Butkus, who is regarded by NFL Films as the best defensive player in football history, the Butkus Award recognizes the best linebacker in college football. The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 35 universities and eight athletic conferences.
Similar to the Rotary Lombardi Award, the semi-finalists for the Butkus Award will be named on November 2nd, the finalists to be named on November 23rd with the winners being notified on or before December 8th. The Butkus Award recipient is determined by a selection committee comprised of 51 experts, including professional, college and high school scouts and prominent sports journalists.
