HUSKER FOOTBALL: Nebraska’s Reimer Named To Preseason Butkus Award Watch List

Nebraska linebacker Luke Reimer was tabbed for the preseason Butkus Award watch list Monday morning. The Butkus Award is annually presented to the nation’s top linebacker.

Reimer is one of the defensive anchors for the Blackshirts, as he begins his third season as a starter in 2022. Last season, the 6-foot-1, 225-pound junior from Lincoln North Star earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media, totaling 108 tackles, including 6.0 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and seven pass breakups.

He set career highs in tackles and TFLs and became the first Husker since 2018 to have a 100-tackle season. Reimer ranked fifth in the Big Ten in both tackles (108) and tackles per game (9.0) last season. He totaled double-digit tackles five times in 2021, including a career-high 19 tackles against Purdue, the most tackles by any Husker in a Big Ten game. Reimer earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in NU’s win over Buffalo with 16 tackles and an interception.

Reimer was one of six Big Ten linebackers on the 51-player watch list.