Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons finalist for Butkus Award
The Butkus Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker, and Penn State sophomore Micah Parsons is one of six finalists for this year’s honor.
The finalists were announced Monday, and Wisconsin’s Zack Baun, Texas Tech’s Jordyn Brooks, Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons, California’s Evan Weaver and Wyoming’s Logan Wilson also are on the list.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Parsons is the first Butkus finalist from Penn State since Dan Connor in 2007, and he hopes to be the first Nittany Lion to take home the award since Paul Posluszny in 2005.
LaVar Arrington was the Butkus winner in 1999.
Shane Conlan (1986), Andre Collins (1989) and Brandon Short (1999) are other Penn State linebackers to earn the nod as a Butkus finalist.
F I N A L I S T. ?#LBU’s @Micah_Parsons11 is one of six 2019 Butkus Award Finalists. This award honors the nation’s top linebacker. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/endoBm7jH3
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 25, 2019
Parsons leads the Nittany Lions in tackles with 85. In that total are 10 for a loss and two sacks.
He ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 7.7 tackles per game and has recorded 10 or more tackles five times this season.
Parsons, a Rivals Midseason All-American, was selected to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week first team after Penn State’s win over Purdue and the second team after a triumph against Pitt.
The Nittany Lions conclude their season Saturday at home against Rutgers. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
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