[Mark Wheeler]

Courtesy Florida Sports Information…

CHICAGO – Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller earned his third straight Butkus Award Watch List honor, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday.

Miller returns after missing the majority last year due to injury. He has played in 38 career games for the Orange and Blue posting 166 tackles, 15 TFLs, 7.5 sacks and six pass breakups. The Lakeland, Fla. native also is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient and SEC Defensive Player of the Week. In his freshman season, he recorded an 82-yard interception return for a touchdown against Idaho for the ninth-longest in school history.

Formed in 1985, the Butkus Award honors the nation’s best linebackers in the NFL, NCAA and high school level. Entering its 38th year, the award supports causes important to the Butkus family such as the Causes include Butkus Takes Heart™ initiative encouraging early cardiovascular screening among adults, and the I Play Clean® initiative encouraging athletes to train naturally without performance-enhancing drugs

The Butkus Award® is presented by the Butkus Foundation and selected by a 51-member expert panel of coaches, scouts and journalists. The award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards.

The award semifinalists are expected to be named Oct. 31 with finalists to follow Nov. 21. The winner will be named on or before Dec. 7.

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