Danny Stutsman Named Semifinalist For Butkus Award

University of Oklahoma senior linebacker Danny Stutsman has been named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top linebacker, the Butkus Foundation announced on Monday.

Stutsman is among 15 players selected nationwide, including six from the SEC, for this prestigious recognition named after the late Dick Butkus, a Hall of Famer in both college and professional football.

Hailing from Windermere, Florida, Stutsman has been a starter in all nine games this season at middle linebacker. He ranks third in the SEC and tied for 18th nationally with a team-leading 77 total tackles. He averages 8.6 tackles per game, placing him fourth in the SEC and 32nd nationally. Additionally, he is tied for the team lead with 7.5 tackles for loss and has recorded one sack and three quarterback hurries. Stutsman has led the Sooners in tackles six times this year and has achieved double-digit tackles in three games.

Recognized as a midseason first-team All-American by the Associated Press, CBS Sports, and the Senior Bowl, he was also named a midseason second-team All-American by The Athletic and Athlon Sports.

Stutsman has played in 44 career games, starting the last 34. He has accumulated 344 career tackles, ranking 11th in Oklahoma history (ninth among linebackers), and needs just nine tackles to tie Kevin Murphy (1981-85) for 10th place in the school’s record books. His 35.5 career tackles for loss rank seventh among OU inside linebackers, just 1.5 short of entering the top four. He has also recorded 8.0 career sacks and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Established in 1985, the Butkus Award is one of the most prestigious individual honors in college football, initially awarded to the most impactful linebacker each year. In 2008, the Butkus Foundation took over stewardship of the award, focusing on recognizing athletic achievement and community service. The award now honors outstanding linebackers at the high school, college, and professional levels, with an independent selection committee of 51 experts, including scouts and sports journalists, overseeing the process.

The award selection highlights qualities that defined Butkus’ career, such as toughness, leadership, competitiveness, and football character, with an emphasis on linebackers who excel in traditional two-point stance play.

Finalists for the Butkus Award will be announced on November 25, with winners revealed by December 10. A celebration for the award is scheduled for February 1, 2025, at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois, where Dick Butkus made his mark.