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Two of the senior leaders of LSU’s defense will be up for postseason awards over the next month; linebacker Kendell Beckwith was announced today as a finalist for the Butkus Award, while cornerback Tre’davious White is up for the Jim Thorpe Trophy.
White will attend ESPN’s college football awards special on December 8:
Earlier this season, White became the first non-offensive player in LSU history to score touchdowns in the first two games of the season, as in the opener against Wisconsin he returned an interception 21 yards for a touchdown, while the very next week he returned a punt 60 yards for a score against Jacksonville State at home, moving into a tie for second place at LSU with three career punt return TD’s in being named the SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week.
White is also a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, an award which focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
White was also placed on the watch lists for the Nagurski and Bednarik awards, while being a preseason first team All-SEC selection by the coaches and media.
Twice has an LSU player claimed the Thorpe Award, with Morris Claiborne doing so in 2011 and Patrick Peterson winning the trophy in 2010.
#DBU.
The Butkus isn’t given out at the ESPN ceremony, per the official LSU release. Although, given that Beckwith is ruled out for Thursday’s game with Texas A&M following his knee injury against Florida, he might be a long shot to finish with the actual award.
Beckwith, who was named to the watch list for the second consecutive year back in July, leads LSU with 91 tackles on the season, averaging 9.1 per game which is currently second overall in the SEC and 29th overall nationally. He was a semifinalist for the award as a junior last season.
The Clinton, Louisiana, native has three double figure tackle games on the season so far through 2016 and has eight for his career which is the most among defenders currently on the squad. Against Alabama Beckwith netted a new career high in tackles with 16 against the Crimson Tide, while having 15 against Southern Miss and 10 against Jacksonville State.
The Butkus Award is in its 32nd year of honoring the nation’s top collegiate and high school linebackers and is voted on by a panel of coaches, scouts and journalists. Collegiate and prep winners will be announced on or before December 6.