Steve Beauharnais Named Semi-Finalist for Butkus Award; Khaseem Greene Left Off

Added by Gregg Snyder on October 22, 2012.

Khaseem Greene (#20) celebrates with Steve Beauharnais after returning a fumble for a touchdown against Temple. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The Butkus Foundation and it’s selection committee announced the 12 semi-finalist for the 2012 Butkus Award. The award is given to the country’s best linebacker.

Rutgers has two extremely good linebackers in seniors Steve Beauharnais and Khaseem Greene. Only one of them made the list of semi-finalist.

Beauharnais is having a fine season for the Scarlet Knights, playing the middle linebacker position. He is the leader of the defense when it comes to setting up, reading the offense, and instructing his defensive teammates. Beauharnais is fourth on the team with 38 total tackles, three tackles-for-loss, a fumble recovery, and 1/2 a sack.

Now, not to take anything away from Beauharnais but his production is minuscule compared to that of star linebacker Khaseem Greene. How the selection committee left Greene off the list of semi-finalists is mind boggling.

In just his second season at the linebacker position, Greene is an absolute nightmare for opposing offenses. The defending Big East Defensive Player of the Year leads Rutgers with 67 total tackles this season, good for 31st in the country in that category. That total would put him behind just one of the named semi-finalists, Manti Te’o of Notre Dame.

Greene is second on the Scarlet Knights with 5.5 tackles-for-loss. He has also recorded 3.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions. At times, Greene is a one man wrecking crew. He consistently disrupts an opposing offense. His combination of strength, tackling ability, speed, and nose for the ball are without a doubt unique.

When an opponent has the ball, whether it be a quarterback, running back, tight end, or wide receiver, Greene is right there in the vicinity. He is an all-around top flight linebacker and the Butkus Award selection committee made a big mistake not placing him amongst the semi-finalists.

Congratulations to Steve Beauharnais for being named a semi-finalist. Not taking anything away from him at all, but Khaseem Greene should be included in any mention of the nations top linebackers.

The 12 2012 Butkus Award Semi-Finalists for the Collegiate Level