University of Cincinnati linebackers – and brothers – Deshawn Pace and Ivan Pace Jr. each earned a spot on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, presented annually to the top linebacker in college football.
The list, revealed Monday, includes 51 linebackers, the same jersey number former Illinois linebacker Dick Butkus wore during his Hall of Fame career with the Chicago Bears.
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Deshawn Pace and Ivan Pace – two former Colerain High School standouts – will play alongside each other this season after Ivan transferred to Cincinnati from Miami University after the 2021 campaign.