Cal Football: Kuony Deng Named to Watch List for Butkus Award

Inside linebacker had 119 tackles as a first-year Cal player in 2019

Kuony Deng, whose 119 tackles in 2019 were eighth-most among players returning this season, has been named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker.

Previously, Deng was named along with teammate Camryn Bynum to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive player.

Deng made his Cal debut last season after transferring from Independence Community College in Kansas. He earned a starting job at inside linebacker alongside Evan Weaver, and the two became the most prolific tackling tandem in the country.

Weaver, a finalist for the Butkus Award, led all of FBS with a school-record 182 tackles, then was drafted this spring by the Arizona Cardinals. Weaver was voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus first-team All-American.

Deng’s 9.2 tackles per game were 27th most in the country and 11th most among players who are returning for the 2020 campaign.

*** Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon talks about Deng and what he expects from the Cal defense this season:

At 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, Deng proved a rangy defender whose production likely will grow as his opportunity does.

Deng had 12 tackles in his first Cal game vs. UC Davis and had five games with double-digit totals, including a season-best 16 at Utah. He started all 13 games and earned honorable mention all-Pac-12 honors.

He is among eight Pac-12 linebackers nominated for the Butkus Award, including Colorado’s Nate Landman, an East Bay native who was a first-team all-conference selection in 2019.

Also on the watch list are Oregon State’s Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Utah’s Devin Lloyd, Arizona State’s Merlin Robertson, Oregon’s Isaac Slade-Matautia, Washington’s Joe Tyron and Washington State’s Jahad Woods.

The nation’s top returning tackler, Treshaun Hayward of Western Michigan, also is on the Butkus watch list. Hayward totaled 142 tackles last season. WSU’s Woods is the top returning tackler in the Pac-12 with 141.

The Butkus Award is named for Dick Butkus, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who is considered the game’s first great linebacker. Butkus played his college football at Illinois and was a six-time first-team All-Pro selection in the NFL.

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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