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 Saturday, December 11
Arrington picks up another trophy
 
Associated Press

 ORLANDO, Fla. -- Penn State's LaVar Arrington won the Butkus Award on Friday night as college football's top linebacker.

Arrington, a junior, beat out teammate Brandon Short, Kansas State's Mark Simoneau and Tennessee's Raynoch Thompson for the award presented by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando.

BUTKUS WINNERS
Year Player
1999 LaVar Arrington, Penn State
1998 Chris Claiborne, USC
1997 Andy Katzenmoyer, Ohio St.
1996 Matt Russell, Colorado
1995 Kevin Hardy, Illinois
1994 Dana Howard, Illinois
1993 Trev Alberts, Nebraska
1992 Marvin Jones, Florida St.
1991 Erick Anderson, Michigan
1990 Alfred Williams, Colorado
1989 Percy Snow, Michigan St.
1988 Derrick Thomas, Alabama
1987 Paul McGowan, Florida St.
1986 Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma
1985 Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma

"I wish I could spilt the award with them," Arrington said. "I don't think you could have a better list of finalists."

The award was the second in as many days for Arrington. He won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player Thursday.

Arrington had 72 tackles, nine sacks and 20 tackles for a loss this season. He also blocked two kicks, including a field goal attempt with four seconds left in Penn State's 20-17 victory over Pittsburgh.

Short topped the Nittany Lions with 103 tackles. The fifth-year senior also had four sacks and 12 tackles for a loss.

Thompson anchored a Tennessee defense that allowed just three rushing touchdowns and limited opponents to 2.7 yards per rushing attempt. The senior had 85 tackles and three interceptions.

Simoneau, also a senior, had a Kansas State-best 91 tackles. He had 17 tackles for a loss and 6½ sacks.

Bob Breunig, the former Arizona State and Dallas Cowboys linebacker, won the Butkus Silver Anniversary Award winner.

The awards are named for Dick Butkus, the former Illinois and Chicago Bears star.

The Nittany Lions (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP) face the Texas A&M Aggies (No. 13 ESPN/USA Today, No. 18 AP) on Dec. 28 in the Alamo Bowl San Antonio. It's the second time in the Alamo Bowl for Texas A&M and the first for Penn State.

 


ALSO SEE
Maxwell Awards winners

Lou Groza Award winners

Jim Thorpe Trophy winners

Fred Biletnikoff Award winners

Doak Walker Award winners

Davey O'Brien Trophy winners

Chuck Bednarik Award winners

AFCA Assistant Coach of Year award winners

College football awards