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Oklahoma LB David Ugwoegbu Named to Butkus Award Watch List

The senior linebacker was the latest Sooner to be named to a prestigious award watch list on Monday.

Ryan Chapman

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The preseason honors continue to roll in for Oklahoma.

OU linebacker David Ugwoegbu was named to the Butkus Award watch list on Monday morning.

Named after Dick Butkus, the award is presented annually to the nation’s best linebacker.

Last year, Ugwoegbu racked up 49 tackles for the Sooners, including 1.5 tackles for loss.

Throughout his Oklahoma career, the Katy, TX, product has appeared in 37 games, totaling a pair of quarterback sacks and a memorable interception against Oklahoma State during OU’s 2020 Bedlam victory.

Now under the tutelage of Brent Venables and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof, Ugwoegbu is hoping to take his game to another level in 2022. 

Ugwoegbu is looking to become the fifth Butkus Award winner in OU’s history, following in the footsteps of two-time winner Brian Bosworth (1985, 1986), Rocky Calmus (2001) and Teddy Lehman (2003).

Fifty-one linebackers were named to the watch list on Monday, but its just the first step in the process.

On Oct. 31 the semifinalists will be named, and the finalists will be unveiled on Nov. 21.

The 2022 Butkus Award Winner will be announced on or before Dec. 7, though any linebacker in the country is eligible to win the award regardless of if they were named to the watch list or not. 

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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