Ohio State's Shazier named finalist for Butkus Award

11/25/2013
BLADE STAFF
Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier, top, tackles Indiana running back Stephen Houston during the Buckeye's game on Saturday.
Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier, top, tackles Indiana running back Stephen Houston during the Buckeye's game on Saturday.

COLUMBUS - Ohio State's Ryan Shazier was announced today as one of five finalists for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker.

The quintet includes UCLA's Anthony Barr, Buffalo's Khalil Mack, Alabama's C.J. Mosley, and Stanford's Shayne Skov.

But Shazier may be the favorite. The junior had a career-high 20 tackles — including a school-record-tying 16 solo stops — against Indiana, leads the Big Ten with 108 tackles, and is third nationally with 19.5 tackles for a loss.