Van Noy named semifinalist for Butkus Award

PROVO, Utah – Leading candidates for football’s prestigious Butkus Award® honoring the nation’s top football linebackers were announced today by the Butkus Foundation. BYU All-American linebacker Kyle Van Noy is one of 12 semifinalists named for the annual collegiate award. 

The Butkus Award honors outstanding linebackers at three levels of play, while spreading the word about the I Play Clean™ initiative, which encourages teens to eat well, train hard, and play smart, instead of resorting to performance-enhancing drugs.  More information is available at www.iplayclean.org or at www.facebook.com/i.play.clean.

“This Award is about honoring linebackers at all levels, and reminding them that they have a responsibility to serve as role models and to give back to society,” said Dick Butkus, the legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker.

A candidate for many national awards, Van Noy was named to seven preseason award watch lists and has garnered preseason and midseason first-team All-America recognition in 2013 for his unique talents and stellar performances. Van Noy has recorded four sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries, six pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one interception for a touchdown this year in addition to recording a safety among his 47 tackles. 

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior outside backer is the only FBS player the past two seasons to record a statistic in every major defensive category while also scoring a BYU record five touchdowns as a defender over his career. He has scored a touchdown during each season at BYU, including two pick-six interception returns and three fumble recoveries for TDs, and added a safety to his points-producing resume this year. 

To learn more about Kyle Van Noy go to KVN3.com.

Finalists for the award will be announced Nov. 26 and winners will be announced by Dec. 10. The pro winner will be announced in early 2014.

Collegiate 2013 Butkus Award Semi-Finalists:

Anthony Barr                UCLA

Lamin Barrow               Louisiana State University

Chris Borland               University of Wisconsin

Khairi Fortt                   University of California

Khalil Mack                  University at Buffalo

C.J. Mosley*                 University of Alabama

Denzel Perryman         University of Miami (Fla.)

Trevor Reilly                University of Utah

Ryan Shazier               The Ohio State University

Shayne Skov               Stanford University

Yawin Smallwood        University of Connecticut

Kyle Van Noy               Brigham Young University

* Denotes 2012 Semi-Finalist

High School 2013 Butkus Award Semi-Finalists:

Dante Booker              St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, OH

Kyle Berger                  St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland, OH

Christian Miller  Spring Valley High School, Columbia, SC

Nyles Morgan              Crete-Monee High School, Crete, IL

Dwight Williams           Junipero Serra High School, Gardena, CA

Raekwon McMillan      Liberty County High School, Hinesville, GA

Kain Daub                   Sandalwood High School, Jacksonville, FL

Tre Williams                 St. Paul's Episcopal High School, Mobile, AL

Connor Strachan         St. Sebastians School, Needham, MA

Dillon Bates                 Ponte Vedra High School, Ponte Vedra, FL

Michael Ferns              St. Clairsville High School, St. Clairsville, OH

Jacob Pugh                 Godby High School, Tallahassee, FL

Butkus Award honorees are selected by a 51-person panel comprised of scouts, coaches and journalists.   Selectors follow all rules of their leagues, including limitations on contact with players.  Individual votes remain completely confidential.  Last season’s Butkus Award winners were: Manti Te’o, Notre Dame (San Diego Chargers); Jaylon Smith, Bishop Luers Fort Wayne, Ind. (Notre Dame); and Von Miller, Denver Broncos.

Considered one of the greatest football players in history, Dick Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, following an illustrious career with the Chicago Bears, University of Illinois and Chicago Vocational School.  Meanwhile, his son Matt, a defensive lineman for USC’s 1990 Rose Bowl winning team, joins his father in philanthropic efforts.  More information is at www.thebutkusaward.com

The Butkus Award, www.thebutkusaward.com or www.facebook.com/51.butkus, is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. It is part of the National College Football Awards Association, a coalition of the major collegiate awards. More information is available at www.NCFAA.org.