Bush Selected as Finalist for Butkus Award
11/20/2017 9:44:00 AM | Football
CHICAGO, Ill. -- Sophomore linebacker Devin Bush of the University of Michigan football team has been selected as one of five finalists for the 33rd annual Butkus Award honoring the nation's best collegiate and high school linebackers, the Butkus Foundation announced on Monday (Nov. 20).
This marks the first national finalist honor for Bush, who was also a midseason addition to the Chuck Bednarik watch list. He was also hailed as a midseason All-American by the Sporting News. Bush is joined by fellow Big Ten linebacker T.J. Edwards (Wisconsin) as two of the five finalists for the Butkus Award. Bush is also Michigan's first finalist for the award since Jake Ryan (2014).
The native of Pembroke Pines, Florida, is in the midst of a breakout season for the Maize and Blue, which boasts the No. 3-ranked total defense in the nation despite losing 10 starters to graduation and the NFL. He has started all 11 games this season after playing linebacker in seven contests as a freshman and contributing on special teams in all 13 games. Bush leads Michigan with 89 tackles, 20 more tackles than the next closest Wolverine (Khaleke Hudson), including 35 solo stops.
He has registered 9.5 tackles-for-loss this season generating 45 total negative yards for opponents, one of five Wolverines at or above that mark in TFLs, and he's also generated 5.0 sacks, tied for third-best on the Wolverine defense that ranks tied-sixth in the nation with 36 total.
After breaking up eight passes throughout the season, Bush earned his first career interception at Wisconsin (Nov. 18) last weekend. He has had had seven or more tackles in nine of 11 games this year, with three double-digit tackle efforts, including a career-high 7-5-12 stops against Air Force. Bush began the season with 1.0 sack or better in four straight games and also has had separate four-game TFL streaks, one of which he is currently in the midst of.
Bush has twice been chosen as a Pro Football Focus College Big Ten Defensive Team of the Week honoree after wins over Purdue (Sept. 23) and Indiana (Oct. 14).
Winners will be announced on or before Dec. 6.
