UGA redshirt sophomore Azeez Ojulari and senior Monty Rice have each been named to the 2020 Butkus Award Watch List, The Butkus Foundation announced on Monday.
The Butkus Award, named after legendary linebacker Dick Butkus, is an annual college football award given to the nation’s best linebacker by The Butkus Foundation.
Semifinalists for the Butkus Award will be announced on Monday, Nov. 2, finalists on Monday, Nov. 23, and winners will be notified on or before Tuesday, Dec. 8.
Last season, UGA’s Tae Crowder was named a Butkus Award semifinalist. The last Bulldog to win the award was Roquan Smith following the 2017 season.
Azeez Ojulari (6-3, 240) hails from Marietta, Ga. Last season, he appeared in all 14 games and finished the season with 36 total tackles (16 solo, 20 assisted), six tackles for loss (43 yards), 5.5 sacks (42 yards), and one forced fumble.
Monty Rice (6-1, 235) is a native of Huntsville, Ala. Rice also played in all 14 games during the 2019 season and recorded 89 total tackles (50 solo, 39 assisted) and three tackles for loss (10 yards).
The Bulldogs are currently scheduled to open the 2020 season on Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day) against the Virginia Cavaliers in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. However, the game may not be played due to the ongoing novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
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