July 16, 2012
Butkus Award Watch List | Lombardi Award Watch List | 2012 Watch Lists at ncfaa.org
Preseason honors continue to roll in for Illini defensive stars Jonathan Brown, Michael Buchanan and Akeem Spence. All three players were named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, which goes to the nation's top college lineman or linebacker. Brown was also named to the Butkus Award Watch List, which goes to the nation's top linebacker.
Brown was a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the media in 2011 at linebacker after he ranked sixth in the nation in tackles for loss per game with 1.63 (19.5 total). He led the Big Ten in TFLs (14.5) in conference games and ranked second in tackles (11.9 per game), pacing the Illini with 108 stops. Buchanan also was a second-team All-Big Ten selection at defensive end, recording 64 tackles and ranking fourth in the Big Ten in sacks (7.5) and ninth in TFLs (13.5). Spence posted 69 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks from his defensive tackle spot as a sophomore in 2011, while helping anchor the seventh-ranked defense in the country.
In all, four Illini have been named to 12 different preseason watch lists so far this summer. Brown, who will be a junior this fall, has been named to five - Bednarik, Butkus, Lombardi, Lott and Nagurski. Buchanan is on three lists - Bednarik, Lombardi and Nagurski, while Spence (Lombardi, Outland) and center Graham Pocic (Outland, Rimington) have both been named to two watch lists.
The Butkus Award is named after Fighting Illini great Dick Butkus, who was an All-American at Illinois in 1963 and '64 and is generally considered the greatest linebacker in football history. Illinois has had two Butkus Award winners, Dana Howard in 1994 and Kevin Hardy in 1995.
The Lombardi Award was established in 1970 by the Rotary Club of Houston in memory of Vince Lombardi to honor the top Division IA college football lineman. Eligibility for the Lombardi Award is limited to offensive or defensive down linemen and linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.
Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly was the winner of both the Lombardi and Butkus awards last season.
Illini 2012 Preseason Honors & Watch Lists (as of 7/16)
• Jonathan Brown, LB - Nagurski Trophy (Def. POY), Bednarik Award (Def. POY), Lott Trophy (Def. POY), Butkus Award (LB), Rotary Lombardi Award (OL, DL or LB), Phil Steele All-American (fourth team)
• Michael Buchanan, DE - Nagurski Trophy (Def. POY). Bednarik Award (Def. POY), Rotary Lombardi Award (OL, DL or LB)

• Graham Pocic, C - Outland Trophy (Interior line), Rimington Trophy (C)
• Akeem Spence, DT - Outland Trophy (Interior line), Rotary Lombardi Award (OL, DL or LB)
