July 14, 2011
CHICAGO - San Diego State senior linebacker Miles Burris has been named to the 2011 Butkus Award Watch List, the Butkus Foundation announced today. Burris is one of 51 on the preseason watch list for the award, which is given annually to the top linebacker in the country.
It is the third major award watch list that the Granite Bay, Calif., native has made. The other two include the Rotary Lombardi list (top lineman) and the Bronko Nagurski list (top defensive player). The last Aztec to be on all three preseason watch lists was Kirk Morrison in both 2003 and 2004.
Burris is coming off a breakout 2010 season in which he led SDSU to a 9-4 record, capped by the school's first bowl game victory since 1969. Burris led San Diego State in tackles (80), tackles for a loss (20) and sacks (9.5). He was also the Mountain West's sack and tackles-for-a-loss leader and was named a MWC first-team selection.
Burris is the fourth Aztec to be named to the preseason Butkus Award Watch List, joining Russell Allen (2007-08), Matt McCoy (2004) and Morrison (2002-04).
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, has been given annually to the top linebacker in college football. The award is named in honor of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, who is regarded by NFL Films as the best defensive player in football history.
An independent Butkus Award Selection Committee, headed by Pro Football Weekly's Hub Arkush and comprised of 51 experts, including professional, college and high school scouts, and prominent sports journalists, will conduct the selection process. Semi-finalists will be named on Oct. 24 and finalists will be selected on Nov. 22. The winners will be notified on or before Dec. 7.
Von Miller of Texas A&M was the recipient of last year's Butkus award for college players.