By Danielle Daniels

Leads the team with 52 tackles through eight games

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Junior linebacker Sonny Styles is one of 15 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, the Butkus Foundation announced today.

The 15 semifinalists represent 14 programs and six conferences. Finalists will be named November 25 and winners named by December 10. Ohio State’s last winner of the Butkus Award is Styles’ position coach: James Laurinaitis took home the award as a senior in 2007.

In his first season playing linebacker after making an offseason position switch from safety, Styles is currently Ohio State’s leading tackler with 52 stops. He’s added 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery. Over the last three games, Styles has 22 tackles, including nine is Saturday’s 20-13 win at No. 3 Penn State.

With Styles’ help, the Ohio State defense has top-10 national rankings in all four major statistical categories: total defense (second – 256.4 yards allowed per game), scoring defense (third – 12.0 points allowed per game), rushing defense (seventh – 94.8 yards allowed per game) and passing defense (eighth – 161.5 yards allowed per game).

No. 3-ranked Ohio State (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) returns to Ohio Stadium on Saturday when it hosts Purdue. Kickoff is slated for noon with FOX broadcasting to a national audience. The game will be Ohio State’s annual Our Honor Defend Military Appreciation game.

COURTESY OSU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS