Completed Event: Football versus Illinois State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 35, to, 3
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Football
35
vs Illinois State
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Photo by: Ty Russell
Asamoah, Bonitto National Award Semifinalists
November 01, 2021 | Football
NORMAN — Oklahoma linebacker Brian Asamoah was named a semifinalist for the 37th annual Butkus Award and outside linebacker Nik Bonitto was named a semifinalist for the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award on Monday.
A redshirt junior, Asamoah has played in all nine games this season and started six contests at the weakside linebacker position, totaling 54 tackles (31 solo) and one QB hurry. He has notched at least six tackles in six of the last seven games, and nine stops twice, and led the team in tackles three times this season. The Columbus, Ohio, product has totaled 140 career tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks and five pass breakups.
Bonitto has started all nine games at outside linebacker this year, compiling 28 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, seven QB hurries, two fumble recoveries and one pass breakup. His 9.0 TFLs are tied for the team lead, while his TFLs and sacks are both tied for fifth in the Big 12. The redshirt junior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has at least four stops in five of the last seven games and has notched at least 0.5 TFLs in six games this season. For his career, Bonitto has totaled 25.5 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks.
Finalists for the Butkus Award, which is presented by the Butkus Foundation to the nation's best linebacker, are expected to be announced Nov. 22, and winners on or before Dec. 7.
Semifinalist voting for the Bednarik Award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club to the outstanding defensive player of the year, will begin on Nov. 2 and will close on Nov. 20. Three finalists will be announced Nov. 23 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time.
A redshirt junior, Asamoah has played in all nine games this season and started six contests at the weakside linebacker position, totaling 54 tackles (31 solo) and one QB hurry. He has notched at least six tackles in six of the last seven games, and nine stops twice, and led the team in tackles three times this season. The Columbus, Ohio, product has totaled 140 career tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks and five pass breakups.
Bonitto has started all nine games at outside linebacker this year, compiling 28 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, seven QB hurries, two fumble recoveries and one pass breakup. His 9.0 TFLs are tied for the team lead, while his TFLs and sacks are both tied for fifth in the Big 12. The redshirt junior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has at least four stops in five of the last seven games and has notched at least 0.5 TFLs in six games this season. For his career, Bonitto has totaled 25.5 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks.
Finalists for the Butkus Award, which is presented by the Butkus Foundation to the nation's best linebacker, are expected to be announced Nov. 22, and winners on or before Dec. 7.
Semifinalist voting for the Bednarik Award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club to the outstanding defensive player of the year, will begin on Nov. 2 and will close on Nov. 20. Three finalists will be announced Nov. 23 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time.
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