WMU Bronco LB in the running for Butkus Award

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Ameer Ismail has been named as one of 65 collegiate linebackers on the 2006 Dick Butkus Award Watch List, an award that recognizes the

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Ameer Ismail has been named as one of 65 collegiate linebackers on the 2006 Dick Butkus Award Watch List, an award that recognizes the nation’s best at the position and announced by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. (DACO).

Division I-A college football teams will run a defense with either two, three or four linebackers, which averages out to three per team. With 119 Division I-A teams, that provides 357 starting linebackers at this level of college football. To be named along with 64 others as the best at your position, the top 18 percent in the nation, is pretty special.

Ismail has been receiving accolades all during the preseason, earning preseason All-America nods from The Sporting News and Street & Smith’s. He has also been tabbed preseason all-conference by The Sporting News, Street & Smith’s, Vandelay Sports, CollegeFootballNews.com and MACReportOnline.com.

All of the honors stem from the work Ismail put into the 2005 season when he led the team with 8.0 sacks and an astounding 20.0 tackles for loss en route to a First Team All-Mid-American Conference Defense selection following his junior campaign.

Joining the Holland, Mich., native on the Butkus list are Mike Alson (Toledo), Dan Holtzclaw (Eastern Michigan) Matt Muncy (Ohio) from the MAC.

The Butkus Award® Watch List will be trimmed to 10 semi-finalists on Thursday, Oct. 19. That semi-finalist list will be cut down to three finalists which will be announced via a national teleconference with players, coaches, media members and Butkus Award® officials on Thursday, Nov. 9. The winner will be announced Saturday, Dec. 9, 2006 at the Butkus Award® Gala in Orlando, Fla.

The Butkus Award ® is regarded as one of the most elite individual honors in college football. Past recipients include such outstanding linebackers as: Paul Posluszny (2005-Penn State); Derrick Johnson (2004-Texas) Teddy Lehman (2003-Oklahoma); E.J. Henderson (2002-Maryland); Rocky Calmus (2001-Oklahoma); Dan Morgan (2000-Miami (FL); LaVar Arrington (1999-Penn State) to name just a few.

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.

Courtesy of the WMU SID