PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A pair of Panthers named semi-finalists for college football awards this week.
Butkus Award
Honoring the best linebacker in college football, junior SirVocea Dennis is joined by 14 others as a semi-finalist.
"It's big in the sense of this is my fifth year playing linebacker," Dennis said. "It's huge. I'm not the biggest linebacker. I'm not the biggest, fastest, it's what I bring to the game. I'm glad that someone recognizes that on a national level."
"He's definitely a leader in our defense," said Panthers teammate Deslin Alexandre. "Vos has had tremendous growth with us. Doing a very good job of leading, making plays. He's an all-around great player."
"He's very smart, knowing football and knowing what's coming and be able to take some risk and know what the offense is doing before the ball is snapped."
"My coaches, they've helped me along the way," Dennis said of how he's improved. "They made sure I worked on my weaknesses. They made sure I watched film better. They made sure I paid attention better, have better details when I played."
"SirVocea is a great leader," said Pitt assistant coach Archie Collins. "Guys respect him with the attitude he brings to practice each day. They follow him because of his athleticism, his drive, his effort that he brings each and every day to practice. He's a good guy to model your game after because of the way he attacks practice and the attitude towards the games. He's a very good player."
"He's got great instincts as a linebacker, just really smart and a football player," said Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi. "He's one of our better blitzers. He's a smart football player. His intelligence is ridiculous."
Past winners-Roquan Smith, Von Miller, Paul Posluszny, LaVar Arrington, Derrick Thomas, Brian Bosworth
Wuerffel Trophy
Senior defensive lineman Deslin Alexandre is one of a dozen to be named a semi-finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy which 'honors college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society and inspire greater service in the world'. Tim Tebow is one of the past winners.
"I think it's a blessing," Alexandre said. "It's an honor. I'm thankful."
Alexandre started the 'Fifth Down' campaign this year with the goal of raising $50,000 in order to provide better food and water along with tuition for children in his native Haiti.
"It's going well," Alexandre said. "Definitely need to get more awareness to it and have people get out on it more."
"Anybody out there, please help Deslin out," Narduzzi said. "He's just a guy who cares about people. He's such a tremendous kid. He would do anything for anybody. It's a random Sunday at noon, look what Deslin is doing. It's nothing planned, he's out there helping.
He's not trying to get an award, that's who he is. He's such an unselfish guy."
Alexandre said he was inspired by 'Cal's Kids' as Panthers long-snapper Cal Adomitis raised over $100,000 to benefit Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh last year.
"I've been blessed in so many ways," Alexandre said. "Just to be able to spread that back to other people. Being from Haiti, to be able to give back to the kids in Haiti is a great opportunity."
He's had a couple of elementary schools hold fundraisers and is looking for others to join his team. He wants to get more awareness.
"It's a very big thing to have kids helping other kids," Alexandre said hoping he inspires others in the future to do good. "I gives me a lot of hope for the future."
You can find out more about 'The Fifth Down' campaign at 'pittsburghkidsfoundation.org'
