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Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Football’s Al-Shaair Named to Butkus Award Watch List
7/23/2018 5:10:00 PM | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Azeez Al-Shaair, a Florida Atlantic University senior linebacker, has been named to the Watch List for the Collegiate Butkus Award, given to the best linebacker in college football.
The Butkus Award® Watch List contains 51 linebackers, mirroring the legendary "51" pro jersey associated with the award's namesake Dick Butkus, who was recognized by NFL Films as the best defensive player in football history. The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 41 universities. Formed in 1985, the Butkus Award was expanded in 2008 to honor linebackers at three levels while helping spread the word about Butkus' I Play Clean® initiative which encourages teens to eat well, train hard, and play with attitude without resorting to performance-enhancing drugs and is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards.
Al-Shaair recently returned from Conference USA Media Days where he was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He has also named during the preseason to the Chuck Bednarik Watch List, and in June, he was one of five student-athletes nationally to receive the Wilma Rudolph Award.
The fourth-year linebacker finished his junior campaign with 147 tackles, fifth most in the nation, and most in C-USA. This past year completed his second season as an Owls' captain.
The three-year C-USA postseason honoree and a 2015 Freshman All-American selection led the Owls to victories in the C-USA Championship game and the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl. The conference title was FAU's first C-USA crown and it was the first bowl game for the Owls since the back-to-back berths in 2007 and 2008. FAU finished 2017 with an 11-3 regular season total and a perfect 8-0 record in league play.
The Owls, who currently hold the country's second longest winning streak (10), will report to campus for preseason drills on Thursday, Aug. 2. FAU will open the 2018 season at Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 1 at noon. The game will be carried nationally on Fox.
Tickets for home games can be purchased by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS. All FAU football games can be heard by tuning into ESPN West Palm 106.3 or on the ESPN App.
The Butkus Award® Watch List contains 51 linebackers, mirroring the legendary "51" pro jersey associated with the award's namesake Dick Butkus, who was recognized by NFL Films as the best defensive player in football history. The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 41 universities. Formed in 1985, the Butkus Award was expanded in 2008 to honor linebackers at three levels while helping spread the word about Butkus' I Play Clean® initiative which encourages teens to eat well, train hard, and play with attitude without resorting to performance-enhancing drugs and is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards.
Al-Shaair recently returned from Conference USA Media Days where he was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He has also named during the preseason to the Chuck Bednarik Watch List, and in June, he was one of five student-athletes nationally to receive the Wilma Rudolph Award.
The fourth-year linebacker finished his junior campaign with 147 tackles, fifth most in the nation, and most in C-USA. This past year completed his second season as an Owls' captain.
The three-year C-USA postseason honoree and a 2015 Freshman All-American selection led the Owls to victories in the C-USA Championship game and the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl. The conference title was FAU's first C-USA crown and it was the first bowl game for the Owls since the back-to-back berths in 2007 and 2008. FAU finished 2017 with an 11-3 regular season total and a perfect 8-0 record in league play.
The Owls, who currently hold the country's second longest winning streak (10), will report to campus for preseason drills on Thursday, Aug. 2. FAU will open the 2018 season at Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 1 at noon. The game will be carried nationally on Fox.
Tickets for home games can be purchased by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS. All FAU football games can be heard by tuning into ESPN West Palm 106.3 or on the ESPN App.
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