Photo: Isabella Serafini
Schwesinger Named Butkus Award Finalist
November 25, 2024 | Football
CHICAGO โ Redshirt junior Carson Schwesinger on the UCLA football team was announced as one of five finalists for the Butkus Award on Monday. The award honors the nation's best linebacker.
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Joining Schwesinger as Butkus Award Finalists are Barrett Carter (Clemson), Chris Paul Jr. (Mississippi), Danny Stutsman (Oklahoma) and Jalon Walker (Georgia). The 51-member Butkus Award selection committee will select top linebackers at the collegiate and high school levels using a 3-2-1 weighted vote with a write-in option. Winners will be named by Dec. 10, with the pro winner selected early 2025.
Schwesinger is the sixth Butkus Award Finalist in UCLA football history, joining Eric Kendricks (2014, winner), Anthony Barr (2013), Robert Thomas (2001), Jamir Miller (1993) and Ken Norton Jr. (1987).
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Schwesinger, who joined the team as a walk-on in 2021, leads the Big Ten Conference in total tackles (121), total tackles per game (11.0), double-digit tackle performances (eight), solo tackles (79) and solo tackles per game (7.2) through 11 games this season. The Moorpark, Calif. native leads all of college football in solo tackles (79) and third in total tackles (121). The nation's next best solo tackler trails Schwesinger by nine (Shaun Dolac, Buffalo, 70). Schwesinger's 121 total tackles lead all defenders from "Power 4" conferences and all Butkus Award Finalists.
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Schwesinger owns the first 100-tackle season by a Bruin since 2018 (Adarius Pickett) and first by a UCLA linebacker since 2017 (Kenny Young). Earlier this season, Schwesinger recorded a streak of six straight double-digit tackle performances, which was the longest by Bruin since Eric Kendricks' Butkus Award-winning 2014 season. Two weeks ago, at Washington, he recorded a career-high 17 tackles for the most by a Bruin defender since 2016 (Jayon Brown, 19 TKL vs. Colorado on Nov. 3, 2016). Schwesinger has been UCLA's leading tackler in nine of 11 games this season.
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In UCLA's 20-17 Homecoming win over Iowa on Nov. 8, Schwesinger nabbed the first two interceptions of his career to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Burlsworth Trophy Walk-On of the Week honors. The week prior, Schwesinger led the Bruins with 13 tackles and recorded two key pass breakups and a sack in a win at Nebraska on Nov. 2. Schwesinger registered 13 tackles and career-high 2.0 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss against Minnesota on Oct. 12. His 4.5 TFLs were the most by a Bruin since Takk McKinley in 2016 versus Utah.
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Schwesinger was also a Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist, which honors college football's top player who started his career as a walk-on.
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A Butkus Award celebration featuring the 2024 winners is planned Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois, where the Award's namesake the late Dick Butkus established his legendary career. The celebration will be featured in the Butkus Award special airing on the Big Ten Network in Feb. 2025.
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News On Carson Schwesinger
WATCH: Schwesinger Interview on Big Ten Network (Nov. 14, 2024)
WATCH: Schwesinger 2024 Season Highlights Through Nine Games
WATCH: Schwesinger Interview on Y-Option with Yogi Roth (Nov. 14, 2024)
READ: "From zero stars to leading Big Ten in tackles: The Rise of UCLA's Carson Schwesinger" by Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times (Oct. 31, 2024)
READ: "How UCLA's Carson Schwesinger went from a tiny high school to Big Ten stardom" by Haley Sawyer, Los Angeles Daily News (Nov. 20, 2024)
READ: "UCLA's Carson Schwesinger engineers an extraordinary walk-on story" by Adam Rittenberg, ESPN (Nov. 21, 2024)
READ: "From Walk-On to Big Ten Leader: Bioengineering Major Carson Schwesinger is Team Captain of UCLA Football, Semifinalist for Butkus Award and Burlsworth Trophy" by UCLA Samueli School of Engineering (Nov. 15, 2024)
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2024 Butkus Award Collegiate Finalists
Barrett Carter, Clemson
Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi
Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Jalon Walker, Georgia
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Joining Schwesinger as Butkus Award Finalists are Barrett Carter (Clemson), Chris Paul Jr. (Mississippi), Danny Stutsman (Oklahoma) and Jalon Walker (Georgia). The 51-member Butkus Award selection committee will select top linebackers at the collegiate and high school levels using a 3-2-1 weighted vote with a write-in option. Winners will be named by Dec. 10, with the pro winner selected early 2025.
Schwesinger is the sixth Butkus Award Finalist in UCLA football history, joining Eric Kendricks (2014, winner), Anthony Barr (2013), Robert Thomas (2001), Jamir Miller (1993) and Ken Norton Jr. (1987).
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Schwesinger, who joined the team as a walk-on in 2021, leads the Big Ten Conference in total tackles (121), total tackles per game (11.0), double-digit tackle performances (eight), solo tackles (79) and solo tackles per game (7.2) through 11 games this season. The Moorpark, Calif. native leads all of college football in solo tackles (79) and third in total tackles (121). The nation's next best solo tackler trails Schwesinger by nine (Shaun Dolac, Buffalo, 70). Schwesinger's 121 total tackles lead all defenders from "Power 4" conferences and all Butkus Award Finalists.
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Schwesinger owns the first 100-tackle season by a Bruin since 2018 (Adarius Pickett) and first by a UCLA linebacker since 2017 (Kenny Young). Earlier this season, Schwesinger recorded a streak of six straight double-digit tackle performances, which was the longest by Bruin since Eric Kendricks' Butkus Award-winning 2014 season. Two weeks ago, at Washington, he recorded a career-high 17 tackles for the most by a Bruin defender since 2016 (Jayon Brown, 19 TKL vs. Colorado on Nov. 3, 2016). Schwesinger has been UCLA's leading tackler in nine of 11 games this season.
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In UCLA's 20-17 Homecoming win over Iowa on Nov. 8, Schwesinger nabbed the first two interceptions of his career to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Burlsworth Trophy Walk-On of the Week honors. The week prior, Schwesinger led the Bruins with 13 tackles and recorded two key pass breakups and a sack in a win at Nebraska on Nov. 2. Schwesinger registered 13 tackles and career-high 2.0 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss against Minnesota on Oct. 12. His 4.5 TFLs were the most by a Bruin since Takk McKinley in 2016 versus Utah.
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Schwesinger was also a Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist, which honors college football's top player who started his career as a walk-on.
ย
A Butkus Award celebration featuring the 2024 winners is planned Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois, where the Award's namesake the late Dick Butkus established his legendary career. The celebration will be featured in the Butkus Award special airing on the Big Ten Network in Feb. 2025.
ย
News On Carson Schwesinger
WATCH: Schwesinger Interview on Big Ten Network (Nov. 14, 2024)
WATCH: Schwesinger 2024 Season Highlights Through Nine Games
WATCH: Schwesinger Interview on Y-Option with Yogi Roth (Nov. 14, 2024)
READ: "From zero stars to leading Big Ten in tackles: The Rise of UCLA's Carson Schwesinger" by Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times (Oct. 31, 2024)
READ: "How UCLA's Carson Schwesinger went from a tiny high school to Big Ten stardom" by Haley Sawyer, Los Angeles Daily News (Nov. 20, 2024)
READ: "UCLA's Carson Schwesinger engineers an extraordinary walk-on story" by Adam Rittenberg, ESPN (Nov. 21, 2024)
READ: "From Walk-On to Big Ten Leader: Bioengineering Major Carson Schwesinger is Team Captain of UCLA Football, Semifinalist for Butkus Award and Burlsworth Trophy" by UCLA Samueli School of Engineering (Nov. 15, 2024)
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2024 Butkus Award Collegiate Finalists
Barrett Carter, Clemson
Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi
Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Jalon Walker, Georgia
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Players Mentioned
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/ FootballUCLA Football Media Availability - Players (Sept. 17, 2025)
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Wednesday, September 17
UCLA Football Media Availability - Players (Sept. 17, 2025)
Wednesday, September 17
UCLA Football Media Availability - Coach Skipper (Sept. 17, 2025)
Wednesday, September 17