University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Davis, Boley Named To Butkus Watch List
8/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Davis, Boley Named To Butkus Watch List
HATTIESBURG, Miss.
- Two Southern Miss linebackers were named to the 2003 Butkus Award Watch list on Thursday, as announced by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. (DACO).
DACO, which annually presents the prestigious Butkus Award to the nation?s best collegiate linebacker, announced the preliminary list of 90 candidates for this year?s award, and Southern Miss All-American Rod Davis and linebacker Michael Boley were named to the list.
Davis, a consensus preseason All-American, averaged 12.9 tackles a game, 0.81 sacks a game and 1.8 tackles for loss per game. He also registered two interceptions, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He led Conference USA in tackles, solo tackles and sacks and was second in tackles for loss.
Davis, who received the 2002 Conerly Trophy signifying the top player in the state of Mississippi, was also a first-team All-Conference USA member for the second year in a row in 2002. He led Southern Miss in tackles (168), solo tackles (122), sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (23.5) and was ranked among the nation?s best in each of the listed categories, No. 3 in solo tackles, tied for No. 6 in total tackles, tied for 13th in tackles for loss and No. 18 in sacks.
Boley, a preseason All-Conference USA selection, finished the 2002 campaign with 142 tackles, including 89 solo stops. He also registered 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Davis and Boley were two of seven players from Conference USA named to the list. Along with the two Eagles, Derrick Ballard of Memphis, Anthony Cannon of Tulane, Rod Day of Louisville, Maurice Jones of USF and Zac Woodfin of UAB as C-USA?s representatives on the list.
The Butkus Award Watch List will be trimmed to 10 semi-finalists on Thursday, October 16. That list will be cut to three finalists, who will be announced via a national teleconference with players, coaches, media members and Butkus Award officials on Thursday, November 13. The winner will be announced Friday, Dec. 12, 2003 at the Butkus Award Gala in Orlando, Fla.
Created in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando Inc., the Butkus Award carries the name and support of one of the greatest middle linebackers in football history, Dick Butkus. The Butkus Award is regarded as one of the most elite individual honors in college football. Past recipients include such outstanding linebackers as:
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).
The following candidates have been recommended for the 2003 Butkus Award? Watch List by the Butkus Award? Selection Committee comprised of national media members.
2003 Butkus Watch List:
Randy Arnold Middle Tennessee
Mikal Baaqee Virginia Tech
Derrick Ballard Memphis
Brian Bischoff SMU
Darryl Blackstock Virginia
Michael Boley Southern Miss
Michael Boulware Florida State
Ahmad Brooks Virginia
Ross Brupbacher Louisiana-Lafayette
Tony Bua Arkansas
Josh Buhl Kansas State
Kevin Burnett Tennessee
Anthony Cannon Tulane
Gino Capone Penn State
Taylor Casey North Texas
Brandon Chillar UCLA
Dennis Chukwuemeka Ohio
Marquis Cooper Washington
Brooks Daniels Alabama
Karlos Dansby Auburn
Rod Davis Southern Miss
Rod Day Louisville
Will Derting Washington State
Carl Diggs Michigan
Nick Duffy Northern Illinois
Pat Durr Northwestern
Ryan Fowler Duke
Keyaron Fox Georgia Tech
Mike Goolsby Notre Dame
Matt Grootegoed USC
Spencer Havner UCLA
Anthony Henriquez Kent State
Bryan Hickman Kansas State
Keon Jackson Toledo
Leon Joe Maryland
Derrick Johnson Texas
Landon Johnson Purdue
Maurice Jones USF
Terrell Jones Miami (OH)
James Kinney Missouri
Niko Koutouvides Purdue
John Leake Clemson
Teddy Lehman Oklahoma
Alex Lewis Wisconsin
Jeff Mackf Wisconsin
T.J, Mawhinney Mississippi State
Todd McCullough Florida
Bryce McGill Fresno State
Caleb Miller Arkansas
Kevin Mitchell Oregon
Lance Mitchell Oklahoma
Lewis Moore Pittsburgh
Jared Morris Texas A&M
Kirk Morrison San Diego State
Josh Ott Boston College
Eric Paully Colorado State
Kendyll Pope Florida State
J.T. Rembert Marshall
Stanford Rhule UCF
Freddie Roach Alabama
Vegas Robinson Virginia Tech
Barrett Ruud Nebraska
John Saldi Texas Tech
Lorenzo Scott Ball State
Richard Seigler Oregon State
Adam Seward UNLV
Kevin Simon Tennessee
Joe Siofele Arizona
Daryl Smith Georgia Tech
Maurice Sonnier Louisana-Monroe
Cody Spencer North Texas
Grant Steen Iowa
Billy Strother New Mexico
Dantarrious Thomas Auburn
Daryl Towns Nevada
Sean Tufts Colorado
Lionel Turner LSU
Jeff Vanover Rice
Jonathan Vilma Miami (FL)
Justin Wade Mississippi
Derek Wake Penn State
Paul Walkenhorst BYU
Courtney Watson Notre Dame
Ben West Minnesota
Grant Wiley West Virginia
D.J. Williams Miami (FL)
Drew Wood Colorado State
Tim Woodard UTEP
Zac Woodfin UAB
Cornelius Wortham Alabama
