Aggie Linebackers Foliaki, Warren Named to Butkus Award Watch List
Aug 25, 2005 | Football
August 25, 2005
Texas A&M linebackers Lee Foliaki and Justin Warren were among 65 candidates on the "watch list" for the 2005 Butkus Award, which is given annually to the nation's top linebacker, the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando announced on Thursday.
Foliaki, a senior from Euless Trinity High School, led the Aggie linebackers with 63 tackles, despite starting only eight games. The 2004 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, Foliaki also contributed three sacks and five total tackles for losses. His high tackle game was 11 against Oklahoma, but his highlight of the 2004 season was forced fumble and recovery to clinch the overtime win over Colorado.
Warren, a junior from Tyler Lee High School, contributed 58 tackles while starting nine games and seeing action in 10 contests. Warren's top tackle game of 2004 was eight stops against Utah and Colorado. His interception return for a touchdown against Wyoming sparked the Aggies to a 31-0 win over the Cowboys.
Foliaki and Warren become the fifth and sixth Aggies to be selected on a preseason "watch list" for a national award. The others are senior quarterback Reggie McNeal for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award; senior safety Jaxson Appel for the Thorpe Award and Chuck Bednarik Award; sophomore center Chris Yoder for the Rimington Trophy; and senior placekicker Todd Pegram for the Lou Groza Placekicker Award.
