Pitt linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu was placed on the preseason watchlist for the Butkus Award, which is given to the top collegiate linebacker in the nation each year. He was one of 51 linebackers in the country and six in the ACC to be singled out as a candidate for the honor.
Idowu joined the team as a walk-on safety in 2014 and first earned a starting role at the linebacker position in 2016. The next year, he enjoyed a breakout season as a junior, leading the Panthers in a number of statistical categories, as he accumulated a total of 94 tackles, 11.