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Tennessee football: Henry To’o To’o on Butkus Award 2020 preseason watch list

By Caleb Calhoun

GAINESVILLE, FL- SEPTEMBER 21: Malik Davis #20 of the Florida Gators runs with the ball during the first half of the game in front of Henry To'o To'o #11 of the Tennessee Volunteers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL- SEPTEMBER 21: Malik Davis #20 of the Florida Gators runs with the ball during the first half of the game in front of Henry To'o To'o #11 of the Tennessee Volunteers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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The rising Tennessee football Volunteers sophomore is on the 2020 list for the nation’s best linebacker award.

It’s becoming pretty clear which Tennessee football player enters the 2020 season with the most hype. After starting all of 2019 as a true freshman linebacker and even calling the plays in three of the games, expectations for Henry To’o To’o are through the roof heading into this year.

To’o To’o, who came to Rocky Top fro California, was among the 51 players named to the Butkus Award 2020 preseason watch list on Monday. Given annually to the nation’s best linebacker in high school, college and pro football, the award is named after NFL Hall-of-Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, who played college for Illinois and then in the pros for the Chicago Bears.

This watch list comes a week after To’o To’o was named to the Bednarik Award preseason watch list, given annually to the best overall defensive player in the nation. Simply put, he enters his sophomore season with Tennessee football surrounded by a ton of potential.

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Last year, To’o To’o was thrust into a starting role earlier than expected. The 6’2″ 235-pound product of De La Salle High School in Sacramento, Calif. had to call the plays in the Vols’ first two games against the Georgia State Panthers and BYU Cougars due to an injury that sidelined Daniel Bituli. The results were disastrous, and UT fell to 0-2.

However, Bituli then came back, and after a 1-4 start that turned into 2-5, the Vols got on a red-hot winning streak to finish 8-5. While Bituli’s return was a huge difference, it was clear that To’o To’o was developing playing alongside him.

In the comeback win to beat the Indiana Hoosiers in the Gator Bowl, To’o To’o finally emerged. Bituli got hurt again, and To’o To’o stepped up and led the defense. This time, he was ready, and he excelled in the role.

For the season, To’o To’o had 72 total tackles, 33 of which were solo, and five tackles for a loss. He earned Freshman All-SEC and Freshman All-American honors from numerous outlets, and with Bituli now gone, it’s easy to see why people expect him to turn into a star.

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Offensive linemen Wanya Morris and Darnell Wright, safety Jaylen McCullough and To’o To’o are the rising true sophomores who are all a huge reason for the hype behind Tennessee football this year. They all became key players as true freshmen. However, To’o To’o began to look like a star, and this award just adds to that.

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