David Long Jr. Named Butkus Award Semifinalist
Sean Taylor
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Today the Butkus Foundation named the 10 semifinalists for the Butkus Award. Mountaineer junior linebacker David Long Jr. was named one of the best 10 linebackers in the nation.
Long Jr. Named Butkus Award Semifinalist https://t.co/fip2MogkWQ via @blue_goldsports
— Blue Gold Sports (@Blue_GoldSports) October 29, 2018
So far in the 2018 season, the Cincinnati native Long has 56 tackles to go along with two sacks and a forced fumble. The redshirt junior is leading a very young Mountaineer defense.
The other nine semifinalists for the Butkus award include:
Josh Allen, Kentucky
Markus Bailey, Purdue
Devin Bush, Michigan
Ryan Connelly, Wisconsin
Tre Lamar, Clemson
Dylan Moses, Alabama
Josiah Tauaefa, UTSA
Devin White, LSU
Mack Wilson, Alabama
Some serious SEC flavor on that list, including two linebackers from Alabama and four of the ten total semifinalists from the SEC.
David Long Jr. is the only player selected from the Big 12.
Saturday David Long Jr. will be put to the test when the Mountaineers head to Austin and take on the No. 15 Texas Longhorns. This will be a big game for Long to showcase his skills as this game will be televised on Fox at 3:30 p.m. EST.