Brandon Burlsworth

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Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth (born  September 20, 1976 in Harrison, Arkansas , †  April 28, 1999 in Alpena, Arkansas ) was an American American football player . He played from 1994 to 1998 as an offensive lineman for the University of Arkansas team and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts in April 1999 , but died in a traffic accident before starting his professional career . The Burlsworth Trophy is named after him and has been awarded since 2010 to the most outstanding college football player who, like Brandon Burlsworth, began his career as a so-called walk-on player without a sports scholarship.

Life

Brandon Burlsworth was born in Harrison, Arkansas in 1976 , where he graduated from high school . He began studying at the University of Arkansas in 1994 , where he received a bachelor's degree in marketing management in 1997 and a master's degree in business administration in December 1998 .

During his studies, he played as an offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks , the university's college football team . At the beginning of his career he was one of the reserve players known as walk-ons without a sports scholarship. However, he later got a scholarship due to his achievements and was part of the team's starting lineup for three seasons and 34 consecutive games from 1996. In his final season for the Arkansas Razorbacks , he was also voted All American in 1998 . He was the first football player in university history to receive a bachelor's degree as well as a master's degree before his last game.

In April 1999 he was selected in the third round draft of the National Football League (NFL) by the Indianapolis Colts . Eleven days later, shortly after he first attended a training camp with the team, he was killed in a traffic accident on Highway 412 near Alpena, Arkansas .

Commemoration

In memory of Brandon Burlsworth, the University of Arkansas has been awarding, under the name Brandon Burlsworth Memorial Scholarships , 18 scholarships of US $ 5,000 each year since 1999 to students with outstanding academic achievements and an athletic scholarship of US $ 10,000 to the best walkers. on player of the football team. The Rotary Club of Springdale, Arkansas donated 2010 Burlsworth Trophy for the best college football player, who began his career as a walk-on began.

Brandon Burlsworth's shirt number 77 is no longer awarded for the Arkansas Razorbacks . The Indianapolis Colts played in the 1999 season with his initial "BB" on the helmets of all players. In 2002 he was posthumously inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame , and in March 2011 he was first nominated for inductance into the College Football Hall of Fame .

In 2001 a book about the life of Brandon Burlsworth was published under the title "Through the Eyes of a Champion - The Brandon Burlsworth Story". A film adaptation of his life story was released in the United States in August 2016 under the title "Greater".

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b About Brandon. In: The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014 ; accessed on November 26, 2010 (English).
  2. ↑ a b c d Kevin Trainor and Zack Higbee: 2009 Arkansas Razorbacks Football Media Guide . Ed .: University of Arkansas. 2009, Brandon Burlsworth - # 77 (1994-98)., Pp. 140 .
  3. ^ Brandon Burlsworth Memorial Scholarships. In: The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014 ; accessed on November 26, 2010 (English).
  4. ^ The Burlsworth Trophy (accessed November 26, 2010)
  5. ^ A b University of Arkansas' Retired Nummers. In: hognation.net. Archived from the original on October 29, 2012 ; accessed on November 26, 2010 (English).
  6. ↑ 2011 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot Released. National Football Foundation March 7, 2011, archived from the original on December 10, 2011 ; accessed on March 7, 2011 (English).
  7. ↑ Jeff Kinley: Through the eyes of a champion: the Brandon Burlsworth story . New Leaf Press, Green Forest, AR 2001, ISBN 0-89221-510-0 .
  8. ↑ Greater: Available on DVD, On-Demand & Digital HD December 20. Accessed November 26, 2010 .

literature

  • Brandon Burlsworth: Everybody's All-American. In: Nate Allen: Tales from Hog Heaven: A Collection of the Greatest Arkansas Football Stories Ever Told. Sports Publishing LLC, Champaign 2002, ISBN 1-58-261345-1 , pp. 41-45
  • Brandon Burlsworth: Tragic Ending. In: Mike Chappell, Phil Richards: Tales from the Indianapolis Colts Sideline. Sports Publishing LLC, Champaign 2004, ISBN 1-58-261829-1 , pp. 148/149

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Burlsworth, Brandon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Burlsworth, Brandon Vaughn
BRIEF DESCRIPTION american football player
DATE OF BIRTH 20th September 1976
PLACE OF BIRTH Harrison (Arkansas)
DATE OF DEATH April 28, 1999
Place of death Alpena (Arkansas)