Big East Nets Three Players on Butkus Watch List; Nine On Lombardi List

Watch List Week II began with the announcements today of the Butkus Award and Lombardi Award watch lists.

The Butkus Award is given annually to the nation’s top linebacker. The award is named after Dick Butkus, a two-time All-American for Illinois Illini (1962-64). A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Butkus was the Big 10 MVP in 1963. He played professionally for the Chicago Bears from 1965-73.

Three members of the Big East Conference were among the 51 names of the 2012 watch list announced today. They are: Steve Beauharnais and Khaseem Greene of Rutgers and Sio Moore of UConn.

The Rotary Lombardi Award is given to the nation’s top college lineman or linebacker each year in honor of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi, who won Super Bowls I and II with the Green Bay Packers. Lombardi was a lineman at Fordham University from 1933-36.

Nine Big players were among the 148 on the 2012 watch list. They are: Mario Benavides (C) of Louisville; Aaron Donald (DE) of Pittsburgh; Ryne Giddins (DE) and DeDe Lattimore (LB) of South Florida; Khaseem Greene (LB) of Rutgers; Ryan Griffin (TE), Sio Moore (LB) and Trevardo Williams (DE) of UConn; and Justin Pugh (OT) of Syracuse.