The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 5/5 Football’s Hill revealed as Butkus Award semifinalist
11.04.2024 | Football
The sophomore linebacker was named a semifinalist for the Dick Butkus Award.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas football sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday. The award annually recognizes the nation's top linebacker.
This marks the fourth-straight year a Longhorn has been selected as a semifinalist for the award, following Jaylan Ford last season, and DeMarvion Overshown in both 2021 and 2022. Derrick Johnson won the award in 2004 after being a finalist for it in 2003, while Sergio Kindle was also a finalist in 2009.
Hill has been a key playmaker in a Longhorn defense that leads the nation in several statistical categories through eight games this season. UT leads the nation in passing yards allowed (135.8 ypg), team passing efficiency defense (90.77) and total defense (241.3). The Horns also rank second nationally in scoring defense (11.5 ppg) and first down defense (113). Texas leads the Southeastern Conference while ranking 11th nationally in interceptions with 12. UT also sits seventh in the country in 3rd down conversion percentage defense (0.284).
The Denton, Texas, native is also on the midseason watch list for the 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football. He was named to the preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Dick Butkus Award along with being tabbed preseason second-team All-SEC on defense. He leads Texas with 58 total tackles (28 solo), 10.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries and shares the team lead in forced fumbles with one. He paces UT with two double-digit tackle performances this season. In addition, Hill also has one interception. He ranks sixth in the SEC in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss.
Hill earned national praise following his standout performance in Texas' 34-3 win over No. 18/16 Oklahoma in the Allstate Red River Rivalry on Oct. 12. He garnered Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 15), Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week (Oct. 16) and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week accolades (Oct. 14). Against the Sooners, Hill compiled 11 tackles (seven solo), two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pressure in Texas' win. Notching his second double-digit tackling effort of his career and season, Hill had his second career forced fumble while matching his career highs in tackles with 11 and sacks with two while tallying a career high 3.5 tackles for loss. It was Hill's fourth-straight game with a sack and his 10th with a tackle for loss.
Last time out, Hill logged a team-high eight tackles (five solo), two quarterback hurries and a pass break-up in Texas' 27-24 win on the road at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt on Oct. 26. The win clinched UT's ninth-straight road win – its longest streak since the Longhorns won 15 in a row on the road from 2003-06.
Finalists will be named Nov. 25 and winners named by Dec. 10, with the pro winner selected in early 2025.
A Butkus Award celebration featuring the three winners (high school, college and professional) is planned for Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois, where the Award's namesake, the late Dick Butkus, established his legendary career. The celebration will be featured in the Butkus Award special airing on the Big Ten Network in February 2025. More information will be at www.butkusfoundation.org.
Coming off a bye week, Hill and No. 5/5 Texas host the Florida Gators at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 9, inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will broadcast on ABC with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst) and Katie George (sideline) on the call.
