LB Carson Schwesinger
Schwesinger Named Butkus Award Semifinalist
November 04, 2024 | Football
CHICAGO โ Redshirt junior linebacker Carson Schwesinger on the UCLA football team was announced as one of 15 semifinalists for the Butkus Award on Monday. The award honors the nation's best linebacker.
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Schwesinger, who joined the team as a walk-on in 2021, leads the Big Ten Conference in total tackles per game (10.6), double-digit tackle performances (six), solo tackles per game (6.8) and solo tackles (54) through eight games this season. The Moorpark, Calif. native leads all of college football in solo tackles per game and ranks second in solo tackles. Additionally, Schwesinger is tied for fifth in the NCAA and ranks second among "Power 4" programs in total tackles (85).
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"This recognition means a lot," Schwesinger said after the announcement. "It's just a credit to my parents, how they raised me and the values they instilled in me. It's a credit to the team we built and we've stayed strong, piecing together some wins. The whole defense, led by (defensive coordinator) Ikaika Malloe, has been able to all work together as one and make plays."
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Schwesinger enters Friday's Homecoming game versus Iowa on a streak of six straight double-digit tackle performances, which is good for the longest streak by a Bruin since Eric Kendricks in 2014. Kendricks won UCLA's first Butkus Award that season.
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Schwesinger has recorded 10-plus tackles in each of his first six career starts against LSU (Sept. 21), Oregon (Sept. 28), Penn State (Oct. 5), Minnesota (Oct. 12), Rutgers (Oct. 19), and Nebraska (Nov. 2) the past six games, leading the team with 12, 13, 15, 13, 10, and 13 tackles in each contest, respectively. Most recently at Nebraska, Schwesinger tallied a game-high 13 tackles and came up with a pass breakup and sack on back-to-back plays to force a turnover on downs in the redzone in the fourth quarter.
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Against Minnesota, Schwesinger registered 13 tackles and a career-high 2.0 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. Schwesinger set a career high with 15 tackles at Penn State the week prior, becoming just the second Bruin defender over the six seasons to reach that mark (Mo Osling III, 2022) and first linebacker since Kenny Young (Nov. 24, 2017 vs. California).
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Schwesinger is one of four Butkus Award Semifinalists from the Big Ten Conference. Finalists will be named November 25 and winners named by December 10.
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2024 Butkus Award Collegiate Semifinalists
Jihaad Campbel, Alabama
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
Barrett Carter, Clemson
Jalon Walker, Georgia
Aiden Fisher, Indiana
Jay Higgins, Iowa
Chandler Martin, Memphis
Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi
Sean Brown, North Carolina State
Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Shae Suiaunoa, Wyoming
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Schwesinger, who joined the team as a walk-on in 2021, leads the Big Ten Conference in total tackles per game (10.6), double-digit tackle performances (six), solo tackles per game (6.8) and solo tackles (54) through eight games this season. The Moorpark, Calif. native leads all of college football in solo tackles per game and ranks second in solo tackles. Additionally, Schwesinger is tied for fifth in the NCAA and ranks second among "Power 4" programs in total tackles (85).
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"This recognition means a lot," Schwesinger said after the announcement. "It's just a credit to my parents, how they raised me and the values they instilled in me. It's a credit to the team we built and we've stayed strong, piecing together some wins. The whole defense, led by (defensive coordinator) Ikaika Malloe, has been able to all work together as one and make plays."
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Schwesinger enters Friday's Homecoming game versus Iowa on a streak of six straight double-digit tackle performances, which is good for the longest streak by a Bruin since Eric Kendricks in 2014. Kendricks won UCLA's first Butkus Award that season.
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Schwesinger has recorded 10-plus tackles in each of his first six career starts against LSU (Sept. 21), Oregon (Sept. 28), Penn State (Oct. 5), Minnesota (Oct. 12), Rutgers (Oct. 19), and Nebraska (Nov. 2) the past six games, leading the team with 12, 13, 15, 13, 10, and 13 tackles in each contest, respectively. Most recently at Nebraska, Schwesinger tallied a game-high 13 tackles and came up with a pass breakup and sack on back-to-back plays to force a turnover on downs in the redzone in the fourth quarter.
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Against Minnesota, Schwesinger registered 13 tackles and a career-high 2.0 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. Schwesinger set a career high with 15 tackles at Penn State the week prior, becoming just the second Bruin defender over the six seasons to reach that mark (Mo Osling III, 2022) and first linebacker since Kenny Young (Nov. 24, 2017 vs. California).
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Schwesinger is one of four Butkus Award Semifinalists from the Big Ten Conference. Finalists will be named November 25 and winners named by December 10.
ย
2024 Butkus Award Collegiate Semifinalists
Jihaad Campbel, Alabama
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
Barrett Carter, Clemson
Jalon Walker, Georgia
Aiden Fisher, Indiana
Jay Higgins, Iowa
Chandler Martin, Memphis
Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi
Sean Brown, North Carolina State
Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Shae Suiaunoa, Wyoming
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Players Mentioned
LB
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