Aug. 21, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Senior linebacker Micah Johnson has been named to the watch list for the Dick Butkus Award, signifying the best linebacker in college football. The honor is bestowed by The Dick Butkus Foundation.

Johnson earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in 2008 as chosen by league coaches. His accomplishments included:

• 93 tackles last season and would have been well over 100 stops had he not missed two and one-half games because of injury.
• 13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, leading the team in that category.
• He ranked third in the SEC in tackles per game.
• He led the team in tackles in eight of the 11 games in which he played.
• He had four double-digit tackling efforts, including a career-high 15 stops in the win over Arkansas.

Johnson is now on three preseason watch lists for national awards, in addition to the Rotary Lombardi Award (best lineman/linebacker) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player).