This year, Herzlich hasn’t played a single down, but he still finds himself in contention for the prestigious award.
The Boston College senior, who was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in May and has been undergoing treatment since, was named one of 16 semifinalists for the award, as announced on Friday. While still attending classes at BC and serving as a pseudo-coach for the 2009 Eagles, Herzlich has raised over $80,000 for research and education about his form of cancer.
Dick Butkus, the namesake for the award, said the honor is meant to reward the nation’s best linebackers but also to remind players “that they have a responsibility to serve as role models and to give back to society.”
Herzlich has certainly done that this year.
The other semifinalists for the award are as follows:
Obi Ezeh, Michigan; Chris Galippo, Southern Cal; Greg Jones, Michigan State; Sergio Kindle, Texas; Sean Lee, Penn State; Travis Lewis, Oklahoma; Rolando McClain, Alabama; Von Miller, Texas A&M; Brandon Spikes, Florida; Daryl Washington, Texas Christian; Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri; Eric Norwood, South Carolina; Perry Riley, Louisiana State; Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina; and Rennie Curran, Georgia.
