BYU’s Ben Bywater, Utah’s Karene Reid Appear On IMPACT Trophy Watch List
May 8, 2023, 11:34 AM | Updated: 11:37 am
BYU Ben Bywater and Utah's Karene Reid were both named to the preseason 2023 Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list. (Photos courtesy of Getty Images)
(Photos courtesy of Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – A pair of in-state linebackers made the first watch list for the upcoming 2023 college football season.
Those players are BYU’s Ben Bywater and Utah’s Karene Reid. Both starting linebackers were named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy, named after former USC and NFL star Ronnie Lott, is awarded to the defensive impact player of the year in college football.
Returning to our watch list this year is @BYUfootball's Ben Bywater, who just led the Cougars in tackles (98) for a second straight year. #CharacterCounts pic.twitter.com/KT8RGDVv0q
— Lott IMPACT Trophy (@TheLottTrophy) May 4, 2023
Previous winners of the Lott IMPACT Trophy include former Georgia star David Pollack (2004) and current Houston Texas head coach DeMeco Ryans in 2005 when he was a linebacker at Alabama. Other notables include Manti Te’o in 2012 at Notre Dame and former Michigan standout Aidan Hutchinson who is currently with the Detroit Lions.
The 2023 season will be the 20th year for the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Forty-two players were named to the watch list, with Bywater and Reid making up two of the 16 linebackers.
Both Bywater and Reid are impactful players for their respective teams.
Bywater has led BYU in tackles the past two seasons. He’s totaled 200 tackles and two sacks. Last year he had three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown in the 2022 New Mexico Bowl to earn defensive MVP honors. A native of Salt Lake City, Bywater prepped at Olympus High and is entering his fifth year with the BYU football program.
All-Pac 12 LB @k_reid41 had 72 tackles (9.5 TFL, five sacks), one forced fumble, one recovery, an interception, three pass breakups and a QB hurry for @Utah_Football last season. #CharacterCounts pic.twitter.com/aB7psMfc7y
— Lott IMPACT Trophy (@TheLottTrophy) May 4, 2023
Reid was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection last season, piling up 72 tackles, one interception, and a fumble recovery last season. He has totaled 117 tackles in his first two years with the Utes. Reid prepped at Timpview High in Provo.
2023 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
Jaishawn Barham, LB, Maryland
Chico Bennett, DE, Virginia
Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas
Calen Bullock, DB, USC
Jordan Burch, DE, Oregon
Ben Bywater, LB, BYU
Abdul Carter, LB, Penn State
Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
Dewayne Carter, DL, Duke
Josh Celiscar, DE, UCF
Mason Cobb, LB, USC
Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State
Justin Flowe, LB, Arizona
Jaylan Ford, LB, Texas
Marcus Fuqua, S, Buffalo
Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina
Johnny Hodges, LB, TCU
Ty’Ron Hopper, LB, Missouri
Travis Hunter, DB, Colorado
Patrick Jenkins, DL, Tulane
Will Johnson, DB, Michigan
Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami
Kalen King, CB, Penn State
Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA
Dwight McGlothern, DB, Arkansas
Ga’Quincy ‘Kool-Aid’ McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Malachi Moore, DB, Alabama
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Jer’zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Josh Newton, CB, TCU
Collin Oliver, DE, Oklahoma State
Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
Karene Reid, LB, Utah
Maason Smith, DL, LSU
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
Bralen Trice, DE, Washington
J.T. Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State
Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky
Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU moving to the Big 12 Conference on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
