Cameron Lawrence Named To Butkus Award Watch List

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State senior linebacker Cameron Lawrence was named to the 2012 Butkus Award Watch List, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday. In its 28th year, the award is given annually to the top linebacker in college football.

Lawrence, the leading returning tackler in the Southeastern Conference, was selected to the list after racking up 123 tackles in 2011, including 50 solo stops. The Coldwater, Miss., native recorded 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery in 13 starts for the Maroon and White a year ago.

In a vote by the league's 14 football information directors last month, the senior was also named preseason first-team All-SEC. In addition, Lawrence was placed on the preseason All-SEC squad by Athlon (third team) and Phil Steele (fourth team).

Lawrence will find out Oct. 22 if he is the first Bulldog linebacker since Barrin Simpson in 1999 to be named a semifinalist. Finalists will be named Nov. 20, with the winner being announced on or before Dec. 4. 

The Butkus Award is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. It is part of the National College Football Awards Association, a coalition of the major collegiate awards. For more information on Lawrence and the MSU football program, follow the program on Twitter at @MStateFB and like the team on Facebook at Facebook.com/MStateFB.

Cameron Lawrence's 2012 Preseason Honors
Butkus Award Watch List
All-SEC First Team (Defense): Birmingham News
All-SEC Third Team (Defense): Athlon
All-SEC Fourth Team (Defense): Phil Steele