Aaron Curry Wins Butkus Award
12/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 9, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest senior linebacker Aaron Curry was presented today with the Butkus Award, honoring the nation's top collegiate linebacker. Hall of Famer Dick Butkus and his son Matt presented the award during Coach Jim Grobe's media luncheon on Tuesday.
"It's amazing and an honor to receive this award," Curry said. "To be mentioned in the same sentence as Dick Butkus with the things he has done on the field and off the field, I'm just hoping that I get the chance to repeat the same intensity he instilled and the determination to punish the opponent."
A native of Fayetteville, N.C., Curry received 14 first place votes and 63 total points to finish first in the voting. USC's Rey Maualuga finished second with 56 points, while 2007 Butkus Award recipient James Laurinaitis of Ohio State finished third with 45 points. Closing out the top five was Brian Cushing of USC in fourth place with 27 points and Mark Herzlich of Boston College in fifth place with 11 points.
"I know I got the right guy," Butkus said. "And if you see the list, it's quite a list. It was a tight choice, but we're satisfied with who we have picking them. And if you've seen this guy play, you know he deserves it.
"Like it says on the trophy, he's getting this trophy and the recognition for being the outstanding linebacker in 2008, but the second paragraph says that he should not flinch from giving back. We're really fortunate that we've gotten to do something that we really love to do, and there's a responsibility that goes along with that whether you like it or not. I certainly didn't like it, but I can see what good you can do. And just like with Aaron, I want him, and all other past winners, although you got recognized for your play, now off the field I don't want you to shrink from helping and giving back."
Curry finished the regular season with a team-leading 101 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. A 2008 First Team All-ACC honoree, Curry contributed three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception, helping Wake Forest to 35 takeaways this season, which ranks second nationally. Curry also led Wake Forest to its school-record third consecutive bowl game, the EagleBank Bowl on December 20 in Washington, D.C., against Navy.
Curry becomes the fifth Atlantic Coast Conference linebacker to win the award. Others include E.J. Henderson of Maryland in 2002, Miami's Dan Morgan in 2000, Marvin Jones of Florida State in 1992 and Paul McGowan of Florida State in 1987.
Curry is just the second Deacon football player to win a major national award, other than All-America honors. Punter Ryan Plackemeier won the Ray Guy Award in 2005. In 2007, center Steve Justice was the runner-up for the Rimington Trophy, awarded to nation's top center.
A Butkus Award reception will be held on January 13 in Chicago to honor Curry. More information on the award, as well as ticket information for the banquet, can be found at www.thebutkusaward.com.
Selection Process Outlined The Butkus family received the Butkus Award® property earlier this year and called upon Hub Arkush of Pro Football Weekly to assemble a selection panel. Butkus and Arkush became friends broadcasting NFL games together beginning in 1985.
"Dick Butkus is a treasured and respected colleague. He envisioned the Butkus Award being a perfect vehicle to showcase the I Play CleanTM campaign that he and Matt Butkus founded to educate our youth on the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs. Given it is a cause I strongly believe in, my job was to form the most credible selection committee ever assembled for a major sports award, and oversee the balloting and selection process."
The 51-person selection panel is comprised of the best-known NFL General Managers, Head Coaches, Defensive Coordinators, Personnel Directors, Head Scouts, College Head Coaches, Recruiting Coordinators, three senior football journalists, and four highly-regarded independent talent evaluators. None of the NFL talent evaluators were allowed to have any contact with any college underclassmen, and none of our college coaches and evaluators were allowed to have any contact with any of the high school candidates. All votes are kept confidential to assure compliance with all NCAA and NFL rules and restrictions regarding scouting and recruiting.
About Dick and Matt Butkus Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, following an illustrious career with the Chicago Bears, University of Illinois and Chicago Vocational School. Meanwhile, his son Matt was a defensive lineman for the University of Southern California's 1990 Rose Bowl-winning team, and joins his father in philanthropic efforts.
