cowboyjoe
12-10-2010, 11:00 AM
A&M's Von Miller wins Butkus Award
Published Wednesday, December 08, 2010 12:01 AM
By ROBERT CESSNA
robert.cessna@theeagle.com
http://www.aggiesports.com/football/120810-A-amp-amp-M-FOOTBALL
http://assets.mediaspanonline.com/prod/5535472/120810millerbutkus_w300.jpg
Buy a print Eagle photo/Stuart VillanuevaNFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus and Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller share a laugh Tuesday at the Bright Complex. Butkus hand-delivered the Butkus Award to Miller.Texas A&M's Von Miller came back for his senior season to help his teammates become winners.
Tuesday they got to give Miller a rousing applause when he was named the nation's top linebacker by NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus, who presented Miller with the trophy that bears his name.
"I watch the NFL Network," said the bespectacled Miller, holding the award. "I've heard all the stories. It's just crazy to be mentioned with all the greats. I still feel like I fell asleep in a chair right now. It's just amazing to be mentioned in the same sentence as a great legend like Mr. Butkus."
Miller was the driving force in the team's defensive renaissance under first-year defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter. The 6-foot-3, 243-pound linebacker had 14 1/2 tackles for losses including 9 1/2 sacks.
"Von Miller meets all the criteria we look for in a linebacker," said Butkus, who played for the NFL's Chicago Bears for nine seasons after starring at the University of Illinois. "He's the real McCoy, which makes me feel good about it.
"We don't have some writer in wherever, nowhere, somewhere just mailing in a vote having never seen the kid. We got legitimate people on the selection committee. I'm happy with the selection. This is just the start of this kid's career. He's got room and places to go."
Miller certainly has taken A&M places.
He had a breakthrough junior season with 21 1/2 tackles, including a nation-leading 17 sacks for 115 lost yards. He caused four fumbles and earned All-America honors, even though A&M was 6-7 in part because of a defense that was ranked 105th allowing 426.3 yards per game. A&M lost four games by at least 24 points, including a season-ending 44-20 loss to Georgia in the Independence Bowl.
Published Wednesday, December 08, 2010 12:01 AM
By ROBERT CESSNA
robert.cessna@theeagle.com
http://www.aggiesports.com/football/120810-A-amp-amp-M-FOOTBALL
http://assets.mediaspanonline.com/prod/5535472/120810millerbutkus_w300.jpg
Buy a print Eagle photo/Stuart VillanuevaNFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus and Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller share a laugh Tuesday at the Bright Complex. Butkus hand-delivered the Butkus Award to Miller.Texas A&M's Von Miller came back for his senior season to help his teammates become winners.
Tuesday they got to give Miller a rousing applause when he was named the nation's top linebacker by NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus, who presented Miller with the trophy that bears his name.
"I watch the NFL Network," said the bespectacled Miller, holding the award. "I've heard all the stories. It's just crazy to be mentioned with all the greats. I still feel like I fell asleep in a chair right now. It's just amazing to be mentioned in the same sentence as a great legend like Mr. Butkus."
Miller was the driving force in the team's defensive renaissance under first-year defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter. The 6-foot-3, 243-pound linebacker had 14 1/2 tackles for losses including 9 1/2 sacks.
"Von Miller meets all the criteria we look for in a linebacker," said Butkus, who played for the NFL's Chicago Bears for nine seasons after starring at the University of Illinois. "He's the real McCoy, which makes me feel good about it.
"We don't have some writer in wherever, nowhere, somewhere just mailing in a vote having never seen the kid. We got legitimate people on the selection committee. I'm happy with the selection. This is just the start of this kid's career. He's got room and places to go."
Miller certainly has taken A&M places.
He had a breakthrough junior season with 21 1/2 tackles, including a nation-leading 17 sacks for 115 lost yards. He caused four fumbles and earned All-America honors, even though A&M was 6-7 in part because of a defense that was ranked 105th allowing 426.3 yards per game. A&M lost four games by at least 24 points, including a season-ending 44-20 loss to Georgia in the Independence Bowl.