Virginia in the mix for dynamic All-MAC pass rusher

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia has entered the recruiting battle for Miami (Ohio) defensive end Kam Butler, who entered the transfer portal after starting three years for the RedHawks.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound pass rusher has also been offered by Penn State and Ole Miss. Butler, who posted 16 sacks and 30 tackles for loss over three seasons at Miami (the 2020 season was shortened to three games due to the pandemic), would be a welcome addition to a Virginia defensive front that failed to pressure opposing quarterbacks in 2021.

A native of Florence, Ky., Butler was first-team All-MAC last season and second-team in both 2020 and 2019. During that span, he recorded 114 tackles. He was the RedHawks’ defensive player of the year in 2019. His eight sacks last season was sixth-most in the MAC and his 12 solo tackles for loss were fourth-most. He also had three forced fumbles in ‘21.

Miami coach Chuck Martin said of Butler during the shortened 2020 campaign:

“I’ve been coaching for 29 years and I’m talking every day at practice, [Butler’s] motor runs as hot as any player I’ve coached. Even our hardest-working teammates would tell you Kam Butler never has an off switch. He just plays at a feverish pace and a relentless pursuit.”

After Miami’s game against Akron that season, Martin praised his defensive end’s work:

“I swear, every time I looked up he was either sacking somebody, a tackle for loss, or he was chasing somebody a hundred miles an hour. It was literally like they can’t block him. He’s become one of the premiere players in our league.”