Four C-USA Players Named to Butkus Award® Watch List

By the C-USA
Posted Friday, August 15, 2008

IRVING, Texas – Four Conference USA football players were named to the preliminary list of 65 candidates for this year’s Butkus Award®, as announced by the Butkus Foundation. Reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Gerald McRath is joined by Will Bonilla of SMU, Joe Henderson of UAB and Brian Raines of Rice as C-USA’s representatives on the list.

The Butkus Award® instituted in 1985, has been given annually to the top linebacker in college football. The Award, named in honor of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, is regarded as one of the elite individual honors in college football.

McRath was picked as the preseason favorite to repeat as the conference's top defensive player. He led C-USA in tackles with 139 (71 solo, 68 assist) in 2007 and averaged 10.7 per game. He added 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two passes broken up and one forced fumble. McRath was the fourth Golden Eagle in the last five years to win the defensive award and the school has won the award eight times in the 12-year history of the league.

Bonilla earned SMU defensive MVP honors in his first season as a starter in 2007 and tied for the team lead in tackles with 82. He started all 12 games for the Mustangs last season and has notched 109 career tackles.

Henderson, a native of Birmingham and two-year starter for the Blazers, has been named All-Conference USA each of the past two seasons. He has also been tabbed to the preseason first-team unit for the 2008 season by the league's head coaches. Henderson registered 109 tackles last season, including a team-high 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Raines was also a Butkus Award® candidate in 2007, but saw his season slowed by injury. He finished second on the team in 2007 with 10 tackles for loss and tied for second with three sacks despite missing one game. He was also second on the team with 81 tackels and has 199 in 31 career starts at linebacker.

This year, the Butkus family has taken stewardship of the Butkus Award® to fully realize its original purpose of honoring athletic achievement and service to the community. The Butkus Foundation is a registered 501 c (3) non-profit organization and will be expanding the award to honor the nation’s best high school and professional linebackers.

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 journalist, will conduct the selection process.

Past recipients include such outstanding linebackers as: Patrick Willis (2006-Mississippi), Paul Posluszny (2005-Penn State); Derrick Johnson (2004-Texas) Teddy Lehman (2003-Oklahoma); E.J. Henderson (2002-Maryland); Rocky Calmus (2001-Oklahoma); Dan Morgan (2000-Miami (FL); LaVar Arrington (1999-Penn State); Chris Claiborne (1998-Southern California); Andy Katzenmoyer (1997-Ohio State); Matt Russell (1996 Colorado); Kevin Hardy (1995-Illinois); Dana Howard (1994-Illinois); Trev Alberts (1993-Nebraska); Marvin Jones (1992-Florida State); Erick Anderson (1991-Michigan); Alfred Williams (1990-Colorado); Percy Snow (1989-Michigan State); Derrick Thomas (1988-Alabama); Paul McGowan (1997-Florida State); and Brian Bosworth (1985 and 1986-Oklahoma).