Aug. 28, 2007
LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior Beau Bell is a member of the official 2007 watch list for the prestigious Butkus Award, which goes each year to the nation's best collegiate linebacker, the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando announced on Tuesday. This is the second consecutive year that Bell has started the season on the award's official watch list.
Bell (6-3, 245) was named to the official 2007 preseason All-Mountain West Conference team last month. The native of Tustin, Calif., and younger brother of former Rebel linebacker Zach Bell (2001-04) was ranked this summer as the No. 14 outside linebacker in the college football by Phil Steele's. Last season Bell was among the nation's top-10 tacklers and led the Mountain West Conference in tackles per game (10.9) before spraining an ankle in the first quarter of Game Seven at BYU. Bell did not play the rest of the year, missing the Rebels' final five games.
The independent Butkus Award Selection Committee, comprised of some of the nation's foremost journalists, is solely and exclusively responsible for all voting in the honor's selection process.
The Butkus Award Watch List will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists on October 18. That list will be cut down to three finalists, who will be announced via a national teleconference with players, coaches, media members and Butkus Award officials on November 9. The winner will be announced in December in Orlando and the award will be presented by its namesake, former University of Illinois star and Chicago Bears NFL Hall of Fame member Dick Butkus.
2007 BUTKUS AWARD OFFICIAL WATCH LIST
Adibi, Xavier Virginia TechAllen, Russell San Diego StateBell, Beau UNLVBobino, Rashad TexasBowen, Alvin Iowa StateBrinkley, Jasper South CarolinaButler, Ezra Nevada, RenoCampbell, Ian Kansas StateCarrington, Reggie SMUCarter, Reggie UCLACasillas, Jonathan WisconsinCastello, Matt San Jose StateChamberlain, Chris TulsaColeman, Nelson TulsaCollins, Chris Oklahoma StateConnor, Dan Penn StateCotton, Quentin East CarolinaCrable, Shawn MichiganCrum, Maurice Notre DameCushing, Brian Southern CaliforniaDizon, Jordon ColoradoDobbs, Ward WyomingDoggett, Derrick Oregon StateDunbar, Jolonn Boston CollegeFollett, Zach CaliforniaFowler, Drew Air ForceFreeman, Marcus Ohio StateGoff, Jonathan VanderbiltHall, Prince AlabamaHall, Vince Virginia TechHayes, Geno Florida StateHenderson, Erin MarylandHenegan, Ryan ConnecticutHighsmith, Ali LSUHolman, Maurice North TexasHudson, Joey Miami-OhioJackson, Malik LouisvilleJiannoni, Joe UtahJones, Jeremy UTEPJoseph, Franz Florida AtlanticKeith, Red Central MichiganKlinkenberg, Mike IowaLansanah, Danny ConnecticutLarsen, Spencer ArizonaLaurinaitis, James Ohio StateLavine, Patrick Oklahoma StateLeman, J IllinoisLeonard, Adam HawaiiMaualuga, Rey Southern CaliforniaMayo, Jerod TennesseeMcCarthy, Tim Northern IllinoisMcKinnon, Koby Arkansas StateMoffitt, Ben South FloridaPawelek, Joe BaylorPhillips, Jason CURaines, Brian RiceRenkart, Brandon RutgersRivera, Mike KansasRivers, Keith Southern CaliforniaRuud, Bo NebraskaTauiliili, Michael DukeTaylor, Christian UCLAVobora, David IdahoWheeler, Phillip Georgia TechWilliams, Reed West VirginiaWoodyard, Wesley Kentucky
