Arizona Football LB Colin Schooler surprisingly isn’t on the Butkus Award watchlist

With the preseason award watchlists coming out, surprisingly Arizona Football star Colin Schooler isn’t on the preseason Butkus Award watchlist.

As you may have been noticing, it’s that the preseason award watchlists have been coming out with the 2020 football season nearly upon us. Yet somehow missing on one of those preseason watchlist is Arizona Football star, Colin Schooler.

As we all saw just last week, it’s that running back Gary Brightwell was named to the Doak Walker Award watchlist, which even though is well deserved, it was rather surprising.

Arizona Wildcats

Now the Butkus Award is the latest preseason watchlist that was released, and not seeing Schooler on there was surprising as well.

Typically awarded to the nations best linebacker every year, you would think the guy who has been named a First Team Associated Press All-Pac-12 player, who also was a former Freshman All-American according to various publications, and was the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 would get a little respect, but apparently not.

The news comes as shocking, especially as Schooler has had comparable, if not better seasons compared to numerous others that are on the watchlist.

To reiterate just how much of a snub it is, here is Colin’s track record in the 36 games he’s played in with the Wildcats! 313 total tackles (204 solo), 46.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, four interceptions, three fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles.

Now granted I do think the past two seasons Colin has suffered by not having a “real” linebacker coach, but nonetheless in his three seasons in Tucson thus far, I do think he has done enough to get more national respect, especially when you compare him to players like Isaac Slade-Matautia, Merlin Robertson, Cameron McGrone, etc.

At Zona Zealots, we think Colin got robbed! What do you think? Let us know your thoughts as well and as always, Bear Down, Arizona!