His high school coaches couldnt believe his size when he came back for his junior season. It was the Razorbacks. Garrett rented a theater in Little Rock and ran down the players from Brandon's team. Thats what its all about: What you do while you were here. Burlsworth was lauded by those who knew him as a tireless worker, a perfect gentleman and a strong Christian. Brown doesn't remember Brandon that first semester, either. His awards and his many accolades are numerous but among them are earning a scholarship the first year. Brandon's jersey #77 is retired at the University of Arkansas. Again, that's a coach hitting it right on the head of the nail. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth was born in Harrison, Arkansas, on September 20, 1976 to Leo Burlsworth and Barbara Burlsworth. '', Said Schaeffer, ``He's in a lot better place than the rest of us. She agreed, and the night before Brandon's fatal accident, he sat with his mother at the dinner table to send the Roths a thank-you note. Many more of his Arkansas teammates were in attendance. But before all that, Brandon made one last trip to Fayetteville to visit with his Razorbacks teammates. Morgan Casting Company was hired to cast the film and began holding open casting calls in March 2013 in Fayetteville, Arkansas; Little Rock, Arkansas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Canton, Mississippi. We were going to Fayetteville for the game and I called him early in the week to tell him where our seats would be. The students are selected by the University of Arkansas Scholarship Committee and are recognized in a ceremony in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ``It's hard to smile. Arkansas doesnt have a pro football team I dont even know if a pro team could survive here. #GreaterTheMovie", "Sneak Peek of UA Football Player Biopic "Greater" at Malco Razorback", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brandon_Burlsworth&oldid=1139617635, Players of American football from Arkansas, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with peacock terms from December 2017, Articles needing additional references from December 2017, All articles needing additional references, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, NFL player missing current team parameter, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text and caption, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Since basketball is included in the summer games, why can'tbaseball be featured indoors during its off-season? [27] The award is given yearly to the most outstanding Division I FBS college football player who began his career as a walk-on. Please enter valid email address to continue. Probably wouldn't have anyway. I don't recall him around that first semester at all.. He graduated last December, in just 4-1/2 years, with a master's degree in business administration. Opposing teams made game plans just to handle Brandon. Brandon Burlsworth, 28, was killed in a car accident while returning from a college football game when he crossed the center line and was hit by a tractor-trailer. Other boys would go home after school got out in May and stay there until camp started in late July. Polian said Burlsworth was "a shining example" to others. With that, Felker put on a tape. Majorleaguers could represent their countries in a true World Series.Imagine the excitement that would be generated when PedroMartinez of the Dominican Republic faced Mark McGwire of theU.S. It's our right guard, Felker said. Burlsworth was killed in a traffic accident last Wednesday as he drove from working out at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to his home in Harrison, a city of about 11,000. Exploring Factors To Consider. "The first time I welcomed him into that weight room he was a gangly awkward sophomore, who we used a sun dial to time the 40-yard dash. SurelyYarbrough would be the first unscored-upon goalie in leaguehistory.KARL SVATEK, Wauwatosa, Wis. A pro team trainer's day typically startsat 5:30 a.m. and stretches into the evening. Brandon knew what it was like to be doubted, to be told you werent good enough. He was an All-SEC offensive guard in 1997 and 1998 and a first-team All-American in 1997. As a result, his funeral was held in a high school gymnasium, allowing his teammates and family to attend as well. He was preparing to marry Heather Nichols. Burlsworth's death on April 28, only 11 days after the Indianapolis Colts took him in the third round of the NFL draft, left people in Arkansas in shock and asking questions that will remain. Ive kind of been planning it that way.. Some of his teammates have since told me how red his face would be during practice, how hard he went, how he never gave up. And would you believe it, it was the Indianapolis Colts who took him. He was a two-time state wrestling champion and was also named All-State in football. I must have been taking my nap when the rule was published thatathletes were supposed to be saints. Did you forget about agentleman named Payne Stewart and what he accomplished atPinehurst No. He was projected to compete for a starting job next season. Coach Ford asks someone would he please do something. Thank you.LAURIE MILTONRoseville, Calif. The press release stated that the change was due to "[o]verwhelming positive response from screening audiences and the desire of a national theater chain to show it in more locations". It breaks my heart that millions of readers will get to know anindividual of Brandon Burlsworth's character not during his lifebut after his death.MICHAEL SZAJENKO, Warren, Mich. Why is it that as an avid reader of SI, I am thoroughly familiarwith the likes of Latrell Sprewell, Albert Belle and LawrencePhillips, but until his tragic death, I had never even heard ofBrandon Burlsworth? We suddenly needed that gear, because we would be rooting for the Colts. I let out a little sigh of relief. Brandon was selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. But almost every boy growing up in the state wants to be a Razorback. Burlsworth was very close to his brothers, Marty and Craig. That's a great sign that a linemen can play. It's great. I fear our support of the Kingsand excitement over their advancement to the playoffs cloudedour better judgment. Burlsworth was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the 63rd pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, but he tragically died in a car accident just 11 days later. Burlsworth, 22, was a third-round draft choice (63rd overall) of the Indianapolis Colts just two weeks ago and he and his brother and agent, Marty Burlsworth, were negotiating a contract. His promotional fact sheet said coaches told Brandon he was not good enough to get the opportunity to play.. Rest in peace, Brandon.DAVE SISTARO, Staten Island, N.Y. Burlsworth, 22, was a third-round draft choice (63rd overall) of the Indianapolis Colts just two weeks ago and he and his brother and agent, Marty Burlsworth, were negotiating a contract. After this picture wassnapped, Motley dragged my father 30 more yards. Burlsworth ran a 40-yard touchdown in 4.88 seconds during the combine, more than any other player. Our parents divorced when Brandon was just two years old. 66 Colts jersey with a framed picture of him, depicting the player wearing his trademark black-rimmed glasses and crewcut. Email him at [emailprotected], Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. My next big memory of Brandon came from a visit with UA assistant coach Rockey Felker during the 1996 season. That is something that needs to be set straight. Marty Burlsworth The 22-year-old Burlsworth, who had been drafted by the Colts 11 days earlier in the wake of gaining first-group All-America respects as a fifth-year senior, was involved with a head-on crash with a tractor-trailer around 15 miles outside Harrison and was killed. LIVE UPDATES: Arkansas-Illinois State midweek matchup, Whole Hog Baseball Podcast: Early takeaways from Eastern Illinois series win, Bohrofen hitting his stride in middle of Arkansas order, UNDER THE RADAR: Bryants David Paglianite, Vols dominate Arkansas from start to finish, Analyzing Arkansas' 75-57 loss at Tennessee, VIDEO: Musselman, Council recap Arkansas' loss at Tennessee. They were going to play quickly. We just didn't have a good practice. I do know that Brandon and I met at the high school all-star game, Garrett said. Brandon was killed in a car accident after 11 days of training. And it was Brandons time. Brandon Burlsworth, NFL player. He walked in and it was the Pillsbury Doughboy. Drew about merelywanting to play ball (INSIDE BASEBALL, June 28). Meanwhile,Farber missed the compelling themes in the Stars' championshiprun, including Ed Belfour's besting Patrick Roy and DominikHasek, and Hull's embracing a defensive philosophy. He died as a result of the accident on April 28, 1999, and he had not survived it. Ido want to make another point. There are a few things that aren't right in the movie. By that point he was about six-foot-two, over 200 pounds and still growing. The Indianapolis Colts honored him by giving each family member and the University of Arkansas Athletic Director a $5,000 (USD) check at halftime of the first Colts game after Brandon died in 1999. I said I was going to the UofA. You know, Brandon, you could think about entering the draft. He never even got to wear his Citrus Bowl ring. The following year, he completed an MBA. His body was laid to rest in Gass Cemetery in Omaha, Arkansas, on May 2, 1999. All Rights Reserved. Burlsworth's efforts earned him first-team All-SEC honors in 1997 and 1998, and he was selected for the 1998 College Football All-America Team. The life of former Arkansas offensive lineman Brandon Burlsworth (center), here competing in a 1997 game against Louisiana-Mon- roe, was the subject of the movie . ``We just hope that there is something the players or this organization can do to help ease the pain of Brandon's family.''. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Whether it was in Fayetteville, or in Knoxville or Tuscaloosa, we had an unspoken rule: We were going to Brandons games. This was the dream. He started as a walk-on and grew to the anchor of the offensive line. He was a two-time All-American and was the first member of the Arkansas football team to earn a masters degree. He declined both, insisting instead on joining the Razorbacks as a walk-on. The story of Brandon Burlsworth, possibly the greatest walk-on in the history of college football. An incident like this brings that message home. [33], The official general release date of August 26, 2016, was announced on Tuesday, August 16, 2016, via the movie's website and official Twitter account. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A self-described "walk-on filmmaker", Reindl decided to finance and produce the film.[29]. Even after his career was cut short due to death, the athlete continues to pay homage to his accomplishments and accomplishments. Having any girlfriend was something relatively new for Brandon since his focus had been solely on his family, faith, friends, football and earning his master's degree. When they were writing the script, someone came to Tulsa and I sat with them for eight hours telling them about Brandon. He graduated from high school in 1994 and was recruited as a football player for the University of Arkansas. ``It is my loss that I could not become friends with him. We were at UCA in Conway for all-star camp. Those were true words.. He said he wanted to hold football camps and bring kids to his NFL games. Burlsworth was a recruited walk-on in every sense of the word. So was I. That looks good, doesnt it? I said. Brandon and Ed played football together and became very close friends over the years. He was a walk-on who became an All-American and was drafted in the 3rd round of the NFL draft by the Colts. I will never forget when Brandon came to school, Knight said. High school awards include the Brandon Burlsworth High School Football Awards. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { I'm not sure where Reilly thinksthese kids grew up, but I'd sure like his seats the next timeWebber's Kings go against Spree's Knicks if he's too scared towatch.ERIC M. JAFFE, Potomac, Md. All rights reserved. The book contains a foreword by former University of Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles and was the inspiration for a movie (see below). In 1999, he completed an MBA and was the first Razorback football player to complete a master's degree. He did what we told him. I could not believe what Isaw on the June 28 issue. Awardees are announced in late spring following the fall football season.[24]. Join Facebook to connect with Heather Nichols and others you may know. '', ``From everything we could see,'' said Polian, ``Brandon represented everything we want in a Colts uniform.''. The school was going to give Brandon a scholarship. He or she works long hours, isexpected to get positive results rehabilitating injuries andmust maintain a solid average in courses like anatomy,physiology and neurological-muscular development.JIM REYNOLDS, Boise, Idaho. The struggles that he had gone through to get where he was were over. As an actor, he had several roles and was an All-American in college. Heather Nichols is 48 years old and was born on 11/07/1974. And I remembered to do what other agents had advised me to do, I kept multiple lines open. Although he never played a down in the NFL, he had impressed Mudd enough during mini-camp that the. He was returning from a church trip with his mother and was about to tie the knot with Heather Nichols. He had intended to help under advantaged children and the Burlsworth family settled the establishment that in his honor. Can you imagine a728-pound goaltender? He asked me to help him, but theres all this certification that goes into being an agent. ``Brandon did everything perfectly,'' Nutt said. } A third-round draft choice last month, he was supposed to be getting ready to play for the Indianapolis Colts, blocking for Peyton Manning and opening holes for running backs. That are n't right in the 3rd round of the offensive line teammates were attendance. Be doubted, to be told you werent good enough whether it was Fayetteville. 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