OLE MISS’ PATRICK WILLIS NAMED 2006 BUTKUS AWARD® WINNER
SEC Linebacker to kick off Division I Midget Championship game with coin toss

DECEMBER 8, 2006 (Lake Buena Vista, FL) –- The Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. (DACO), the organization which annually presents the prestigious Butkus Award® to the nation’s best collegiate linebacker, has named University of Mississippi senior Patrick Willis the 2006 Butkus Award® Winner.

Willis was presented the award on The Home Depot College Football Awards at the Walt Disney Resort on ESPN by the award’s namesake, former University of Illinois and Chicago Bear NFL Hall of Fame member, Dick Butkus. Willis, a native of Bruceton, Tenn., led the SEC in tackles for the second-straight season. This year he was the only SEC defender to average more than 10 tackles a game with 11.4. His 137 stops rank sixth in the nation and also ranked third in solo tackles with more than seven a game.

Willis was recognized by the SEC coaches on Wednesday being named the Southeastern Conference’s top defensive player as well as earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors by The Associated Press on Monday. Willis was the winner of the 2006 Conerly Trophy, which is awarded to the state of Mississippi’s top player, and a runner-up for the 2006 Nagurski Award. Willis is the first Butkus Award® finalist and winner from the state of Mississippi and just the third Butkus Award® finalist representing the SEC in the last seven years (DeMeco Ryans of Alabama in 2005 and Raynoch Thompson of Tennessee in 1999.)

The independent Butkus Award® Selection Committee for the 2006 Butkus Award®, comprised of some of the nation’s foremost journalists, is solely and exclusively responsible for all voting in the Butkus Award® selection process. Voting for the Butkus Award® winner will be conducted by exclusive confidential ballots of the selection committee.

The Butkus Award ® is regarded as one of the most elite individual honors in college football. Past recipients include such outstanding linebackers as: Paul Posluszny (2005-Penn State); Derrick Johnson (2004-Texas) Teddy Lehman (2003-Oklahoma); E.J. Henderson (2002-Maryland); Rocky Calmus (2001-Oklahoma); Dan Morgan (2000-Miami (FL); LaVar Arrington (1999-Penn State); Chris Claiborne (1998-Southern California); Andy Katzenmoyer (1997-Ohio State); Matt Russell (1996 Colorado); Kevin Hardy (1995-Illinois); Dana Howard (1994-Illinois); Trev Alberts (1993-Nebraska); Marvin Jones (1992-Florida State); Erick Anderson (1991-Michigan); Alfred Williams (1990-Colorado); Percy Snow (1989-Michigan State); Derrick Thomas (1988-Alabama); Paul McGowan (1997-Florida State); and Brian Bosworth (1985 and 1986-Oklahoma). Created in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando Inc., the Butkus Award® carries the name and support of one of the greatest middle linebackers in football history, Dick Butkus.

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