Oklahoma Linebacker Owen Heinecke Named a Butkus Award Semifinalist With Team-High 54 Tackles
NORMAN, Cleveland County, Oklahoma — The University of Oklahoma announced on October 28 that redshirt senior linebacker Owen Heinecke is one of 15 semifinalists for the 2026 Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's top college linebacker.
A Tulsa native and Bishop Kelley High School product, Heinecke has started all seven games this season and leads the team with 54 tackles, along with 6.5 tackles for loss, 4 quarterback hurries, 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after a 10-tackle game at Mississippi State in which he added 2 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble at the Oklahoma 4-yard line that preceded a 96-yard touchdown drive.
Heinecke, who arrived as a walk-on, has played 46 career games with 12 starts in his fifth year with the program, starting each of the last 12 games. Finalists will be announced November 20 and the winner named the week of December 7.
Source: GSM News
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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