Anthony Hill named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award
Texas linebacker Anthony Hill has been named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. The Butkus Award is given annually to the most impactful linebacker in the game by the Butkus Foundation.
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Hill was on the preseason watch lists for the Butkus Award and the Nagurski Trophy. He was a preseason second-team All-SEC selection and even shared the conference’s defensive player of the week honors on October 14 after the Oklahoma game. Against the Sooners, Hill tallied 11 tackles with 3.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks, and a forced fumble.
As the Longhorns’ starting middle linebacker, Hill is Texas’ current leading tackler with 58 stops. He also leads the team in TFL with 10.0 and sacks with 5.5. He has one interception and a pass defended.
He’s been a key piece for the Longhorns not only in making play after play, but also setting up his teammates for success. Hill wears the coach-to-player communication device and plays a key role in getting players lined up, especially against some of the tempo offenses the Longhorns have faced.
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Hill also recorded a double-digit tackle game against UTSA, where he notched 11 against the Roadrunners. He has at least eight tackles in each of the last three games.
Last season, Hill was a FWAA Freshman All-American and the co-Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. He notched 67 tackles including 8.0 for loss and 5.0 sacks across 14 games last season.
Texas has one Butkus winner in its history. Derrick Johnson took home the honor during his senior season in 2004. Johnson not only was the Butkus Award winner that year, but also a unanimous All-American, a first-team All Big-12 selection, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and the Nagurski Trophy winner.
Finalists will be named November 25 and the winner named by December 10.
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Butkus Award Semifinalists
| ATHLETE | UNIVERSITY | |
| Jihaad | Campbell | Alabama |
| Deontae | Lawson | Alabama |
| Shaun | Dolac | Buffalo |
| Barrett | Carter | Clemson |
| Jalon | Walker | Georgia |
| Aiden | Fisher | Indiana |
| Jay | Higgins | Iowa |
| Chandler | Martin | Memphis |
| Chris | Paul Jr. | Mississippi |
| Sean | Brown | North Carolina State |
| Sonny | Styles | Ohio State |
| Danny | Stutsman | Oklahoma |
| Anthony | Hill Jr. | Texas |
| Carson | Schwesinger | UCLA |
| Shae | Suiaunoa | Wyoming |
