University of Oklahoma Athletics

Rocky Calmus Wins Butkus Award

December 07, 2001 | Football

By: Athletics Communications

Dec. 7, 2001

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando presented the 2001Butkus Award to Oklahoma's Rocky Calmus, the third Butkus winner from Oklahoma and the first since Brian Bosworth in 1985 and 1986, the award's first recipient and only multiple Butkus Award winner. The Butkus Award was presented Friday afternoon at the Downtown Orlando Marriott Expo Center. The Butkus Award is presented annually to the best linebacker in college football by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando.

The Jenks, Okla., native registered a team-best 117 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception in his final season. Calmus' performance also helped lead a Sooner defense that was ranked fourth in scoring and total defense nationally.

The winner was selected by the independent 28-member Butkus Award Selection Committee, comprised of the nation's foremost media members. The 2001 Butkus Award winner was chosen by a confidential ballot of the Butkus Award Selection Committee and announced at the Butkus Award Presentation Ceremony. The award's namesake Dick Butkus presented Calmus with the Butkus Award this afternoon. Calmus' family, his head coach Bob Stoops, associate head coach Mike Stoops and co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables were all in attendance for the event. Also on hand were the other finalists E.J. Henderson (Maryland) and Robert Thomas (UCLA) along with head football coaches Ralph Friedgen of Maryland, Bob Toledo of UCLA and the Butkus Silver Anniversary Award winner, Bob Brudzinski (Ohio State/LA Rams/Miami Dolphins).

BUTKUS AWARD WINNERS

1985 - Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma
1986 - Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma
1987 - Paul McGowan, Florida State
1988 - Derrick Thomas, Alabama
1989 - Percy Snow, Michigan State
1990 - Alfred Williams, Colorado
1991 - Erick Anderson, Michigan
1992 - Marvin Jones, Florida State
1993 - Trev Alberts, Nebraska
1994 - Dana Howard, Illinois
1995 - Kevin Hardy, Illinois
1996 - Matt Russell, Colorado
1997 - Andy Katzenmoyer, Ohio State
1998 - Chris Claiborne, USC
1999 - LaVar Arrington, Penn State
2000 - Dan Morgan, Miami
2001 - Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma

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