IRVING, Texas — Tennessee’s Matthew Butler was one of 176 semifinalists named for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy on Wednesday, as announced by the National Football Foundation.
The Campbell Trophy, considered college football’s premier scholar-athlete award, recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Butler, a super senior defensive lineman for the Vols, has embodied everything it means to be a student-athlete during his time on Rocky Top. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science last December and is working towards completing his master’s degree in political science this year.
Butler elected to utilize his free year of eligibility from the 2020 COVID season to return to Tennessee for one more year in 2021. He has been one of UT’s leaders and top defensive players, racking up 116 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble in his four-plus seasons with the Big Orange. Butler was a 2021 Preseason All-SEC third team selection by Athlon and was also named to the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.
The Raleigh, North Carolina, native has assembled an impressive résumé off the field during his collegiate career that includes becoming just the seventh Tennessee football player to ever receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Butler’s extensive list of accomplishments and accolades also includes being a 2020 SEC McWhorter Award nominee, a four-time selection to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, a 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 First Team selection, a member of the 2019 SEC Community Service Team and a member of the university’s prestigious VOLeaders Academy during the 2018-19 academic year.
The full list of 2021 Campbell Trophy semifinalists can be seen HERE.
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 27, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. One of the finalists will be named the winner of the 32nd Campbell Trophy during the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 7 and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
This year marks the 63rd year of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, which began in 1959, and the 32nd year of the Campbell Trophy, which was added to the program in 1990. Click here for more information on the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards and click here for more on the Campbell Trophy.
Campbell Trophy Semifinalists List
-UT Athletics
