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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Oklahoma Linebacker Duo Makes Butkus Award Watch List
August 21, 2003 | Football
For the second year in a row, the Oklahoma senior linebacker duo of Teddy Lehman and Lance Mitchell are being touted as two of the top contenders for the Butkus Award. The 2003 watch was released by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, which sponsors the award, Thursday afternoon.
Lehman, who was a finalist for the award last year, and Mitchell are recognized on a list of 90 potential candidates for the prestigious award which is given annually to college football's most outstanding linebacker. The Sooners have had a finalist for the award the last three season with former OU great Rocky Calmus coming away with the trophy in 2001.
The Butkus Award Watch List marks the third watch list on which Lehman will begin the season. The Fort Gibson, Okla., native is also a candidate for the Bronko Nagurski and Outland Trophies. A consensus first team All-Big 12 selection last season, Lehman was also considered one of the top defensive players in the nation after receiving first team All-American honors from numerous publications and media outlets and also garnering the Chevrolet National Defensive Player of the Year award.
In his first season of Division I football, Mitchell captured instant recognition on the conference and national levels after leading one of the nation's top defensive teams in tackles, tackles for loss and forced fumbles. He was named the consensus Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and also picked up several All-Big 12 seond team and honorable mention honors along with a second team All-American selection by CNNSI.com.
In other news released on Thursday, the Football Writers Association of America had Oklahoma ranked No. 1 in its preseason Grantland Rice Super 16 poll. It marks the second year in a row that the Sooners have begun the season as the poll's favorite.
The association's final ranking, which will be announced on January 5th at the conclusion of the Bowl Championship Series, will be used to determine the 2003 Grantland Rice Trophy recipient. OU has won the award four times, most recently in 2000, in the the award's 49 years of existence.
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