The Longhorns' season may have not ended as they planned last year, but it has had no effect on preseason award nominations for several players. Two more Longhorns were added to the list of possible recipients, as senior linebackers Emmanuel Acho and Keenan Robinson were added to the Butkus Award watch list.
The annual award presented by the Butkus Foundation honors former University of Illinois and Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus, a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. It is awarded to the nation's most outstanding linebacker on and off the field. Acho and Robinson join 51 other student-athletes named to the initial watch list.
Former Longhorns Derrick Johnson, Sergio Kindle and D.D. Lewis were all named finalists for the Butkus during their time at Texas; Johnson won the award in 2004.