Aug. 20, 2008

TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State University junior linebacker Gerald Munns has been named to the Watch List for the 2008 Butkus Award, which is presented annually to the top linebacker in college football.

Munns has played in 23 games in his two seasons as a Sun Devil. He had 20 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery and one pass break-up as a sophomore in 2007. He also had an outstanding spring, capping it off by recording a game-high 11 tackles in the spring game, and he projects as the starting middle linebacker in 2008.

The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985 and named in honor of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, is regarded as one of the elite individual honors in college football. The Award will be presented on Jan. 13, 2009, at the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago.

An independent Butkus Award Selection Committee, headed by Pro Football Weekly's Hub Arkush and comprised of 51 experts including professional, college and high school scouts, and prominent sports journalists, will conduct the selection process.