Brandon Burlsworth

Football career

Burlsworth graduated from Harrison High School in 1994, where he was an All-State selection, and was a recruited walk-on football player at the University of Arkansas, despite the fact that he had scholarship offers from some smaller universities. After he redshirted his first year (1994), Burlsworth transformed his pudgy 300 lbs into a svelte 260 lbs, and over the next two years, built himself back up to a muscular 300 lbs offensive guard. By his sophomore season in 1996, he had earned a scholarship and a starting position at right guard on the offensive line.

Before his junior season in 1997, he was selected to be one of the team captains. Burlsworth's efforts earned him 1st team All-SEC honors in 1997 and 1998, and he was selected for the 1998 College Football All-America Team. He was Arkansas' first All-American player since 1993, and their first player selected to a 1st team squad since 1989. He was also named to the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll every year from 1995–1998. Burlsworth played on two SEC Western Division championship Razorback football teams (1995, 1998).

Burlsworth graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. He was the first Razorback football player to complete a master's degree before playing in his final game.

Shortly after his death, Burlsworth's jersey number, 77, was permanently retired in a ceremony at Arkansas' first home game of the 1999 season. It is only the second number ever retired (the other is number 12, retired in honor of Clyde Scott) by the University of Arkansas. Burlsworth's locker in the Razorback locker room is encased in glass, preserved for future players and fans, in his honor.

Burlsworth was selected to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, and the University of Arkansas Letterman's Association Hall of Honor in 2004.

In 2013, Bleacher Report named Burlsworth the #1 Greatest Walk-On of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Era.

Burlsworth was selected in the 3rd round (63rd overall) of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. After attending a Colts minicamp, the coaches were impressed enough to pencil him in as the projected starter at right offensive guard.

Death

Eleven days after being drafted, Burlsworth was killed in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas on April 28, 1999, on his way back to his hometown of Harrison after a workout in Fayetteville. He was buried on May 2, 1999, in Gass Cemetery in Omaha, Arkansas.

Tributes

Brandon Burlsworth Foundation

After his death, family and friends established the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation in honor of his work ethic and Christian values. The Christian organization's mission is to support the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities. The Foundation's logo prominently features Brandon's signature black-framed glasses.

Burls Kids

Today, through the "Burls Kids" program, the Burlsworth Foundation provides underprivileged youth a chance to attend Razorback and Colts football games. Since 2000, the Foundation has bought 30 tickets to each Arkansas Razorbacks home football game. The tickets are distributed through Razorback Clubs across the state. The children are a big part to the foundation. The children are given an official "Burls Kid" T-shirt and replica glasses similar to what Brandon wore on the field.

Eyes of a Champion

In 2007, the "Eyes of a Champion" program was started. The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, in partnership with Walmart/Sam's Optical Department and independent optometrists across Arkansas, provides eye care to thousands of pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students. Primarily they come from working families that cannot afford extras like eye care and do not qualify for state funded programs. Applications must be submitted by school nurses or counselors and are available in English, French, and Spanish.

Football Camps

The Brandon Burlsworth Football Camps are for youngsters going into 3rd grade through 9th grade. They are held once each summer at F.S. Garrison Stadium in Harrison, Arkansas, and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Children are given a chance to learn from former Razorbacks. Past participants included Anthony Lucas, Clint Stoerner, Joe Dean Davenport, Madre Hill, Grant Garrett, Russ Brown, Barry Lunney Jr., Chad Abernathy, Jeremiah Washburn, Michael Smith, Lucas Miller and others. The campers learn football skills but more importantly, they are taught throughout the day about character, attitude, morals, priorities and the desire to do it "The Burls Way."

Memorial Scholarships

Each year the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation gives out several awards and scholarships at various school levels. Eighteen students at the University of Arkansas who are primarily from smaller towns and who are characterized as academic "overachievers" receive $5,000 scholarships. Additionally, a Razorback football player who began his career as a walk-on, but then earned a football scholarship, is honored as the year's Burlsworth Athletic Scholar. The students are selected by the University of Arkansas Scholarship Committee and are recognized in a ceremony in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

High School Football Awards

High School awards include the Brandon Burlsworth High School Football Awards. Every high school football coach in Arkansas has the opportunity to nominate one player from the team. Those players receive a plaque and a copy of "Through the Eyes of A Champion, the Brandon Burlsworth Story" autographed by Brandon's mother, Barbara Burlsworth. An even greater honor, the Brandon Burlsworth Championship Award is presented at the Arkansas state football championships games to one player from each team for conduct above and beyond expectations.

State Championship Awards

Harrison (Arkansas) High School continues to award the Brandon Burlsworth Award to one male and female athlete who best exemplify the strength of character and work ethic known as "The Burls Way".

Brandon Burlsworth Award

The Brandon Burlsworth Award is given out yearly to a male and female at Harrison High School and the University of Arkansas.

Burlsworth Trophy

In 2010, the Burlsworth Trophy was created and named in his honor. The award is given yearly to the most outstanding Division I FBS college football player who began his career as a walk-on.

Communication

The Foundation shares information about its mission, vision, activities and impact through a variety of channels.

Traditional Media

Traditional media include articles, pictures and videos that are available in the Media section of the Foundations' web site.

Social Media

The Foundation also engages the community, its friends, and its supporters through a variety of social media. These include its Facebook page, its Twitter handle (@Burlsworth_Fdn), its YouTube channel and its Pinterest pinboard.

Book

In 2001, the book Eyes of a Champion, the Brandon Burlsworth Story written by Jeff Kinley was released. The book contains a foreword by former University of Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles.

Movie

A screenplay titled Greater: The Brandon Burlsworth Story was written based on the book. Brian Reindl a former real estate investor and fellow University of Arkansas graduate, spent eight years working on the screenplay. A self-described "walk-on filmmaker", Reindl decided to finance and produce the film.

David Hunt, who also helped Brian write the screenplay, directed the movie and Gabe Mayhan was Director of Photography. The score for the film was by Stephen Raynor-Endelman with Andrea Von Foerster as the Music Supervisor. The Production Designer was Lucio Seixas and the Costume Designer was Keri Lee Doris. 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. The casting director was Stephanie Holbrook, C.S.A. The movie was produced by Brian Reindl with Co-Producer Tim Duff and Executive Producers Brian Reindl and Neal McDonough.

Filming began on Monday, May 6, 2013, in Fayetteville, Little Rock and Farmington, Arkansas, with a six-week production shoot. Greater originally had a U.S. theatrical release date scheduled for January 2016 which was later moved to the summer of 2016 starring Neal McDonough, Leslie Easterbrook, Michael Parks, Nick Searcy, Quinton Aaron, M.C. Gainey, Fredric Lehne, Texas Battle, Wayne Duvall, and Christopher Severio as Brandon, as well as guest appearances by many recognizable faces.

On January 16, 2016, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, hosted an exclusive screening of Greater. John Randle and Aeneas Williams, both members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, participated in an interactive roundtable discussion following the screening.

The movie was originally scheduled for a release date of January 29. However, on January 21, 2016, Hammond Entertainment, LLC announced that the release of Greater would be moved to Summer 2016. 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".

The official general release date of August 26, 2016, was announced on Tuesday, August 16, 2016, via the movie's web site and official Twitter account, @greaterthemovie. Northwest Arkansas television station Fox 24 (KFTA) ran a story with details about an advance screening which was held on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, at Malco Razorback 16 theater in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with a Q & A session that followed. These details were also tweeted by Channing Barker (@ChanningBarker), an anchor and reporter at Fox 24.

The official movie trailer is hosted on YouTube.