Oct. 14, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Florida's Channing Crowder and Virginia's Ahmad Brooks headline a list of 12 semifinalists named Thursday for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker.

There are 12 semifinalists instead of the usual 10 because of a 10th-place tie in the selection committee voting.

Also named to the list: Southern Mississippi's Michael Boley; Tennessee's Kevin Burnett; Southern California's Matt Grootegoed; UCLA's Spencer Havner; Ohio State's A.J. Hawk; Texas' Derrick Johnson; Oklahoma's Lance Mitchell; San Diego State's Kirk Morrison; Georgia's Odell Thurman, and Miami's Leon Williams.

Three finalists for the award, handed out by The Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, will be named Nov. 11, with the winner announced Dec. 10.

Oklahoma's Teddy Lehman won the award last season.

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