CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – University of Illinois linebacker Dylan Rosiek was added to the watch list for the 40th annual Dick Butkus award by the Butkus Foundation and the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
The Butkus award is an elite honor that is given to one player in college football who is considered the most impactful linebacker in the game. It was instituted in 1985 and is named after linebacker Dick Butkus who was an Illini alum, and College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame title holder. The award now honors high school, college, and professional linebackers.
Rosiek, a junior linebacker for the Fighting Illini, played in all 12 games in the most recent regular season and started for eight of them. At the game against Purdue, he posted six tackles, including two tackles for loss, and forced a fumble at Purdue. He ranked 14th in the Big Ten conference in tackles during the regular season leading the Illini and finished eighth in tackles in the Big Ten conference games.
With this addition to the Butkus watch list, there are now six Illini athletes on award watch lists, including:
- Kaden Feagin for the Doak Walker award
- Zakhari Franklin for the Comeback Player of the Year award
- Josh McCray for the Doak Walker and Comeback Player of the Year award
- Dylan Rosiek for the Dick Butkus award
- Cole Rusk for the John Mackey award
- Kenenna Odeluga for the Wuerffel award