Jewell named one of of five Butkus Award finalists
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY – The Josey Jewell story just keeps getting better.
It was announced on Monday that Jewell is one of five finalists for the Butkus Award, which goes to nation’s top collegiate linebacker. The other four finalists all play for schools in the Southeastern Conference.
The 2016 Butkus Award winner will be announced on or before Dec. 6. Selection is handled by a panel of 51 coaches, recruiters, scouts and journalists who vote separately and confidentially using a 3-2-1 process.
A former two-star recruit from Decorah who picked Iowa over a partial scholarship from Northern Iowa, Jewell has started every game this season and leads the Big Ten with 105 tackles. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder matched his career high with 16 tackles against No. 10 Wisconsin, and his 282 career tackles rank 19th in program history.
Jewell also led Iowa with 10 tackles in this past Saturday’s 28-0 victory at Illinois. It was Iowa’s first shutout against a Big Ten opponent since a 12-0 victory over Minnesota in 2009.
“We’ve been striving for one all year,” Jewell said Saturday of a shutout. “It’s always good to get at least one during the year. We came out and played today for the most amount of time.
Jewell leads an Iowa defense that has improved dramatically since allowing 359 rushing yards during a 41-14 loss at Penn State on Nov. 5. Iowa held Michigan to just 201 yards during a 14-13 victory on Nov. 12 at Kinnick Stadium, while Illinois managed just 198 yards this past Saturday.
“Everybody just doing their jobs came in big,” Jewell said. “We can rely on people when everybody is trustworthy of everybody else.”
Jewell’s achievement was part of busy day for the Hawkeyes in terms of recognition.
Senior running back LeShun Daniels was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, while senior receiver Riley McCarron was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.
Daniels rushed for a season-high 159 yards and scored two touchdowns against Illinois. The Warren, Ohio native gained 113 yards in the second half.
McCarron, a Dubuque native, scored Iowa’s first touchdown against Illinois on a 55-yard punt return in the second quarter.
The 7-4 Hawkeyes will face Nebraska in the regular-season finale at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Kinnick Stadium.
Butkus Award Finalists
Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
Kendall Beckwith, Louisiana State
Josey Jewell, Iowa
Reuben Foster, Alabama
Jarrad Davis, Florida