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Senior linebacker Barrett Ruud, junior free safety Josh Bullocks and junior tight end Matt Herian were each named to national award watch lists on Thursday, adding to an impressive list of preseason mention for the Husker football team.
Ruud is one of 65 linebackers named to the preliminary list of candidates for the 2004 Butkus Award, presented annually to the nation’s outstanding linebacker. Ruud is one of eight players from the Big 12 Conference on the Butkus Watch List. The 6-2, 240-pound Lincoln native was also on the watch list last season and had an outstanding season with a Nebraska-record 149 tackles. Ruud enters his senior year just 53 tackles shy of the Husker career tackles record.
Herian and Bullocks were among a group of 40 players announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation as “players to watch” for its Player of the Year Award. The list includes 10 players from the Big 12 Conference. Bullocks earned first-team All-America honors last season after intercepting a Big 12 record 10 passes. The 6-5, 240-pound Herian averaged 22 yards on his team-high 22 receptions and scored three touchdowns as a sophomore to earn All-Big 12 honors.
Bullocks was earlier named as one of 29 players on the preliminary watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive back. Bullocks was the only sophomore among 11 semi-finalists for the award in 2003.
Herian, Ruud and junior center Richie Incognito were named last week to the preliminary watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award. Eligibility for the Lombardi Award is limited to offensive linemen and defensive players who line up within five yards of the line of scrimmage.
Incognito is among those players named to the watch list for the 2004 Rimington Trophy. The award is named for former Husker All-America center Dave Rimington and honors the nation’s top collegiate center. Incognito earned all-conference honors at offensive tackle last season, but has moved to center for his junior campaign.
Huskers on Preseason Watch Lists
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
Josh Bullocks, FS
Matt Herian, TE
Butkus Award Watch List
Barrett Ruud, LB
Jim Thorpe Award Watch List
Josh Bullocks, FS
Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
Matt Herian, TE
Barrett Ruud, LB
Rimington Trophy Award Watch List