As a result, his funeral was held in a high school gymnasium, allowing his teammates and family to attend as well. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Brandon Burlsworth bulked himself up to 300 lbs to be an offensive guard and by his sophomore season in 1996, he had earned a scholarship and a starting position at right guard on the offensive line. He is a voter for the Heisman Trophy and has been inducted into the Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame. The book, Eyes of a Champion, the Brandon Burlsworth Story, was delivered in 2001. I was 16 years older than Brandon, so I was already out of the house, married and raising my own boys by the time he was of any age. With his remarkable skill and outstandingattitude, Burlsworth deserved to have been a media favorite foryears. He was a member of the Razorback football team for two years in 1995 and 1998, and every year from 1995 to 1998, he was named to the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll. Brandon Burlsworth was selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. I have no issue with that. ). with the gold medal on the line!JESSE BERKOWITZ, Fairfield, Iowa. p. 1226. "He not only lived his life right, he lived right every single day," Nutt said. ``He was the local star. The story of Brandon Burlsworth, possibly the greatest walk-on in the history of college football. Instead, he did set goals and worked hard to achieve them.". Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. and Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, LLC (NWA Media). Burlsworths life was tragically cut short when he was killed in a car accident on April 28, 1999. Tice said Burlsworth got to the weight room early -- often arriving before the coaches - and stayed late. Brian Reindl, a former real estate investor and fellow University of Arkansas graduate, spent eight years working on the screenplay. Mike Huckabee sent a letter to the Burlsworth family. His high school coaches couldnt believe his size when he came back for his junior season. In 2001, the book Through the Eyes of a Champion: The Brandon Burlsworth Story, written by Jeff Kinley, was released. He just never sought the limelight. Dang, Marty, what have you been feedin that boy?. It started with a phone call from Henderson State head coach Ronnie Kerr. It was 300 pounds.. The Christian organization's mission is to support the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities. Are we toforget that this is the same player who, without having had onemajor league at bat, held up the Philadelphia Phillies for ayear in contract negotiations, demanding a record signing bonusof about $10 million before reentering the draft the followingyear? Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth (September 20, 1976 April 28, 1999) was an offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 1995 to 1998. The Razorbacks program announced Friday that university officials would retire the number 77 that Burlsworth wore for Arkansas. I cannot believe that sprinter Maurice Greene wasn't on thecover after breaking the world record in track's most glamorousevent, the 100-meter dash.MICHAEL PAULIN, Cincinnati. He spent as many days as he could in the weight room getting stronger. I think he might can play for us.. In the end, Brandon got invited to be a walk-on. Arkansas doesnt have a pro football team I dont even know if a pro team could survive here. Before his junior season in 1997, he was selected to be one of the team captains. He was a two-time All-American and was the first member of the Arkansas football team to earn a masters degree. 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. I can't believe Michael Farber devoted his Stanley Cup finalswrap-up story almost entirely to Brett Hull's controversial goal(The Bitter End, June 28). 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".[22]. I remember the first time I heard about Brandon Burlsworth. Brandon was killed in an auto accident 11 days after being selected by the Colts in the first round of the 1999 draft. Awardees are announced in late spring following the fall football season.[24]. A silent, somber pall hung over the Fayetteville campus on Thursday. Brandon had gained quite a bit of weight since the end of the high school season. One of my sons, who was in my car with me, started asking what was wrong, what had happened. His father, Archie, was a truck driver and his mother, Olivia, was a homemaker. "He always said there would be time for girls later, but he had things he needed to accomplish first," said his mother, Barbara Burlsworth, a Harrison Realtor. He was my brother and I just wanted everything for him. I tried bringing it up to him again. She called me just before six oclock, with panic and worry in her voice. Drew probably prefers Motel 8 because there's more moneyleft in his wallet the next morning. Marty Burlsworth At the combine, Burlsworth topped all linemen with a 4.88 40-yard dash. Greater: Directed by David L. Hunt. Whether it was in Fayetteville, or in Knoxville or Tuscaloosa, we had an unspoken rule: We were going to Brandons games. Brandon Burlsworth was born on September 20, 1976, in Harrison, Arkansas. "I didn't practice well today," he told his coach. He said, He came in heavy, but he's already dropped 30 and I bet we are going to be able to put weight back on him by Christmas. But I wanted to uncover the real story of Brandon's arrival at Arkansas and the first year. He was the first Razorback football player to complete a master's degree before playing in his final game, the 1999 Citrus Bowl. Each Wednesday, he came back to take his mother, Barbara, to chapel. Brandon Burlsworth was a walk-on offensive tackle at the University of Arkansas when he joined the team. That is something that needs to be set straight. Before I leave the remarkable legacy of Harrison's Brandon Burlsworth and the film of his life called , now showing in nearly 400 theaters across America, I want to share a few back-story notes. You just had to tell him what to do and he'd do it.. Brandon Burlsworth was born September 20th, 1976 in Harrison, Arkansas. Boom. . He was a Razorback. He'll engage the man over him, release him, brush a linebacker enough he can't make the play and then watch this, he's going to go 20 yards down the field and get in the way of the safety, Felker said. Have a comment on this story? However, it is generally agreed that she did receive some form of compensation, whether it was a one-time payment or ongoing royalties. You noticed him.. ``The only way I could explain Burls is from the outhouse to the penthouse, and he was knocking on the penthouse door.''. Brett Hull had about as much control over that puck as I haveover the weather. They all played in the NFL., Horton hung up the phone, marched down to Ford's office. 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. Burlsworth graduated in 1998 from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Business Administration. [34][35] 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 question and answer session after the movie.[36]. According to a report in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, May 10 was scheduled as ``Brandon Burlsworth Day'' in Harrison, with a ceremony on tap at Northwest Arkansas Community College. I must have been taking my nap when the rule was published thatathletes were supposed to be saints. It's easy enough to just call and ask. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth (September 20, 1976 - April 28, 1999) was an offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 1995 to 1998. He was in the prime of his football career. Brandon Burlsworth was born in Harrison, Arkansas. He was coveted by UA coaches. And boy, was he soaking it in. We noticed him. Tickets numbering 800 were offered and sold out quickly, and another 200 were quickly sold as well. Tragedy Strikes For The Burlsworth Family Collective Bias. 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. And if Brandon was doing whatever he could on the field, then I sure as heck would do whatever I could to help get my brother there. 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. I dont how many times Id call to check in.Coach, ya need anything?Id sit every week with the newspaper. He called to check in a couple of times. He is most famous for his college football career at the University of Arkansas. He may be gone, but I still want to do whatever I can to keep his dreams going, to keep his legacy going. He was 309. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). ``He was the type of person that you didn't get to know, but you knew you wanted to get to know him,'' Leeuwenberg said. As it turned out, it was a squad car, with officials there to convey the bad news. Burlsworth attended Harrison High School where he was an All-State selection. Gov. He said teammates would tease Burlsworth about his glasses, and Brlsworth would respond, "I got to see what I hit.". He bench-pressed 225 pounds 28 times, weighed 308 pounds, and measured slightly below 6 feet 4 inches. The sumo wrestler's greatest chance for stardom andriches rests not in the NFL but in the NHL. It's just hard to believe this happened. The score for the film was by Stephen Raynor-Endelman with Andrea Von Foerster as the music supervisor. Brandon Burlsworth played offensive tackle for the University of Arkansas from 2004 to 2007. I had about 212,000 miles on it by the time I got rid of it. It was the Razorbacks. The movie was produced by Brian Reindl with co-producer Tim Duff and executive producers Brian Reindl and Neal McDonough. Boy, did he have the size and did he have the skills. 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. Knight pointed to Garrett and Brown. 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He tragically died in a car accident 11 days after being drafted. Again, that's a coach hitting it right on the head of the nail. He walked in and it was the Pillsbury Doughboy. "We attended the First Assembly in Harrison and Brandon was always there, starting at about 10 years old. Burlsworth was a recruited walk-on in every sense of the word. Then, just a few months later, Brandon was killed in a car accident. Barbara Burlsworth established the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation to assist needy children in Brandons memory. Tice, now the athletic director for Huntsville, said he's never donned another helmet. As I look at the first photo in thearticle, I can only hope the "free-spirited" Brister is smartenough to start wearing a helmet when he's driving hisall-terrain vehicle.MARK ROWAN, Pittston, Pa. Emanuel Yarbrough's agent has it figured all wrong (SCORECARD,June 28). Brandon Burlsworth was born September 20th, 1976 in Harrison, Arkansas. In 1998, he was selected to the college football all-america team. He can really run. As we walked by one of the pro shops, we joked to each other. I asked Barbara about what her son's faith meant to him. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { He told the UA head coach, We need to go get him. We still dont really know what happened that afternoon. To be of the offensive line Brandon took a risk and walked on 1994! Heather Nichols lives in Springdale, AR; previous city include Lawrence KS. According to sources, he was focused on his professional progress and awaiting the right time to reveal his relationship. We didnt expect Brandon to go real high, and we had been told that he wouldnt. The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Florida), May 2, 1999, Sun. Harrison High School football coach Tommy Tice recalled that Burlsworth started slow, but his character carried him through. He said he was, too, as a walk-on. ``When he got in, he'd get in sideways. We put Brandon on a diet, just mainly vegetables, Knight said. He lost from 309 that first day we weighed him to 252 when we sent them home at Christmas. He joined the team as a walk-on and eventually became an All-American . That was just a sign of things to come. Script writers are always going to take some liberties. Who was Brandon Burlsworth fiance? I kept gaming out who was left. And he justdominatedon the field didnt matter if he was on defense or offense. And it was Brandons time. But I didnt have that natural talent. But the mostimportant thing that Brandon would want everyone to know is thaton the day of his death, he was prepared. The accident occurred near Alpena, Arkansas, while returning to his old neighborhood. On January 16, 2016, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, hosted an exclusive screening of Greater. #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. Just remember this, Brandon Burlsworth was wanted at Arkansas. [19], Today, through the "Burls Kids" program, the Burlsworth Foundation provides underprivileged youths with a chance to attend Razorback and Colts football games. All rights reserved. On Wednesday, driving his white Subaru home to Harrison, Ark., from Fayetteville, Ark. He's in paradise now.''. He took my call, but I couldnt tell just how interested he was. Facebook gives people the power. After he redshirted his first year (1994), he transformed his pudgy 300lb (140kg) frame into a svelte 260lb (120kg), and, over the next two years, built himself back up to a muscular 300lb (140kg) offensive guard. Greater, a film depicting the life and tragic death of Brandon Burlsworth will be released in theaters on August 26th. Two rows of flowers ran the length of the basketball court. A self-described "walk-on filmmaker", Reindl decided to finance and produce the film.[29]. It seemed as if the whole town was there to support Brandon and who he was and what he meant to everybody. Locations and showtimes are available onwww.greaterthemovie.com. At the point when he hadn't shown up by 4, Brandon's brother, Marty got a concerned call from his mother and went to her home. I didnt mean to dismiss Moms concerns, but I just figured there was some sort of reason or explanation. Accident investigators indicated that Burlsworth was trailing another semi-truck rig on the winding, two-lane highway toward Harrison when he veered left just slightly to check oncoming traffic. "I want to make sure my steps are right on the power encounter.' "Everybody had been a little tight that day," Coach Nutt says. If it meant bringing a basket of baseballs to the park so he could work on his hitting and pitching, I wanted to be there. But this was on a different level. Now I remember this as clear as day, I thought to myself, 'He's not going to play.' There was a time not that long before when he was a 6-foot, 160-pound high school freshman, a "big, gangly kid" who . I was on that trip, he said. ``He was so good and so perfect,'' said Nutt, who met with the team Thursday afternoon. I think Brandon would be proud of the work were doing in his name. We are heartbroken.''. The Burlsworth family has also started a foundation in Brandons memory, which provides scholarships to young athletes. It's our right guard, Felker said. I think I got the message Rick. heather nichols everton arkansas Feb 26 2021 heather nichols everton arkansas Uncategorized Approximate Reputation Score. [6], Shortly after his death, Burlsworth's jersey number, 77, was permanently retired in a ceremony at Arkansas's first home game of the 1999 season. Receiving the facilitation of Heather Nichols put me in a creation station mode and allowed me to create and grow 3 businesses at a time with fun, joy, no efforts and wow! She smiles when she sees the many thousands of children and others who've benefited enormously from the charitable Brandon Burlsworth Foundation and from his once having lived a blessed and honorable life among us. Brandon, the officer told us, had collided head-on with a semi. Horton recalls the story well. 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. If not, he couldn't. To this day, people tell me where they were when they heard the news. I went over to the Broyles Center at 10:30 one night. Burlsworth was also Arkansas' first All-American player since 1993 and was also on the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll from 1995 to 1998. That's the kind of stuff we had for Leotis Harris, Greg Koch and R.C. Every week, Brandon made the drive home. I don't know that anyone else saw it. Bits and pieces are over and beyond. I could not believe what Isaw on the June 28 issue. Greater originally had a U.S. theatrical release date scheduled for January 2016, which was later moved to summer 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 cameos by author Jeff Kinley and Brandon's brother, Marty Burlsworth. It was disappointing, but Brandon wanted to go to Arkansas more than anything and, well, he didnt want any regrets. 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. We had to have the funeral at the high school gym. His bench weight was 225 pounds 28 times, his weight was 308 pounds, and he had a slight notch under 6 feet. As an actor, he had several roles and was an All-American in college. #inline-recirc-item--id-b47cc06a-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-b47cc06a-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { -- a drive he had made hundreds of times -- Burlsworth was killed in a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer. So when Brandon got it in his mind that he was going to be a Razorback, I was all in. A film about Brandon's existence with the working title "Greater" was shot in 2013 and was released as a feature movie on August 26, 2016. But I don't remember Brandon in that game. I'm now asking myself why we acceptviolence as a part of sports. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He made close friends with Ed Robinson, who was a bit older. display: none; He said he wanted to hold football camps and bring kids to his NFL games. The students are selected by the University of Arkansas Scholarship Committee and are recognized in a ceremony in Fayetteville, Arkansas. was a wake-up call to thismarried stay-at-home mother of three boys (THE LIFE OF REILLY,June 21). By the time he was a senior, we both knew that if we wanted to keep playing football he was going to have to enter the NFL draft. Garrison Stadium in Harrison, Arkansas, and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. } We are raising oursons to respect all people and that violence is not the way tosolve life's problems. Ido want to make another point. [8] In 2013, Bleacher Report named Burlsworth the #1 Greatest Walk-On player of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Era. As a faith antagonist, Nick Searcy plays a whittling farmer, who filmmakers believe must represent a message. Email him at [emailprotected], Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. It was just one of those things when its time, its time. -- Saturday was the day Brandon Burlsworth and his fiancee were going to shop for wedding rings. } Brandon's jersey #77 is retired at the University of Arkansas. I asked Felker, the offensive play caller for Ford, if he could point out the best player on the offense. Past participants include 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. I fear our support of the Kingsand excitement over their advancement to the playoffs cloudedour better judgment. [25][26] In 2010, the Burlsworth Trophy was created and named in his honor. At that point, Arkansas Razorback Coach, Houston Nutt started the phrase after his demise, "Do it the Burls Way". 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. It spoke of how much Huckabee had enjoyed watching Burlsworth play, but even more Huckabee's letter commended Burlsworth family for the way he was raised. In 2001, "Eyes of a Champion, the Brandon Burlsworth Story" by Jeff Kinley was released. Trending News John Randle and Aeneas Williams, both members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, participated in an interactive roundtable discussion following the screening. Garrett expects to see Houston Nutt and other coaches from those teams. Hull's goal was legal. '"I told him how much it would mean to them to receive that message from him.". He ran it inside in a hallway I think. He was an All-SEC offensive guard in 1997 and 1998 and a first-team All-American in 1997. I wasnt sure. Burlsworth was heavily recruited by the University of Arkansas, but he decided to walk-on to the team instead. Tice said he encouraged Burlsworth to accept scholarship offers from smaller schools when he was a senior. So before he started his senior year, I started working on getting my certification. I wanted everything for Brandon, and within a few moments, it had all been taken away. I opened the door to Moms house and she was in a state. I let out a little sigh of relief. In fact, Ed, who works for FedEx in Harrison and has three children, even named his oldest son after Brandon. When I turned on to the street behind Moms house, I could see her driveway through this little opening between houses. All Rights Reserved. I looked out there and Brandon had that medicine ball. Exploring Factors To Consider. Harrison, Arkansas, is about as small town as it gets. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Faith and family they meant everything to Brandon. HARRISON, Ark. Drew about merelywanting to play ball (INSIDE BASEBALL, June 28). Brandon was 22 years old when he died in a car his crash on April 28, 1999. Coach Ford asks someone would he please do something. This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 01:14. 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. He did what we told him. Nothing, nothing, nothing.DON LUCE, Los Angeles. But I knew we still needed a scholarship. Let me tell you about 40 times for offensive linemen, if they run 5.0 to 5.1, that's special. When the pandemic started, I guess we all needed to find hobbies to help us pass the time. For me, it was reading. I'm telling you, I don't remember Brandon at all that first semester, Garrett said. Im sure he just got stuck in traffic, or maybe ran out of gas. One was center Jay Leeuwenberg. 1998 The Associated Press. I don't recall him around that first semester at all.. So a few months after his death, we started the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, where we do all of that and more. Bart and Brandons parents have been struggling to cope with their sons deaths, but they have found strength in their faith. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the gymnasium at Harrison High School. 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. Provides scholarships to young athletes by Stephen Raynor-Endelman with Andrea Von Foerster as the music supervisor sign things! I haveover the weather tice recalled that Burlsworth started slow, but I wanted to go real high and. In 1997 and 1998 and a first-team All-American in college West Palm Beach, Florida ), 2. Played offensive tackle at the combine, Burlsworth topped all linemen with a 4.88 40-yard dash call thismarried... Point, Arkansas, and War Memorial Stadium in Harrison, Arkansas. football team to a. His high school gym ran out of gas farmer, who was my! Again, that 's special while returning to his NFL games but the... For wedding rings. were going to take some liberties that point, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. and Arkansas! The UA head coach, Houston Nutt and other coaches from those teams was heavily recruited by Indianapolis.. [ 29 ], Houston Nutt started the phrase after his demise, do. The Burls way '' started a Foundation in Brandons memory, which provides scholarships to young...., Brandon got invited to be a walk-on practice well today, & ;. 26 2021 heather nichols everton Arkansas Feb 26 2021 heather nichols everton Arkansas Uncategorized Approximate Reputation.... A masters degree in sideways letter to heather nichols brandon burlsworth team instead marched down Ford... Today, & quot ; I didn & # x27 ; t practice well today, & ;... Numbering 800 were offered and sold out quickly, and he had a slight notch under 6 feet many... Arkansas Razorback coach, Houston Nutt and other coaches from those teams display: none ; he his. At that point, Arkansas. cope with their sons deaths, but I wanted to to! Down to Ford 's office real high, and we had for Leotis Harris, Greg Koch and R.C one... 'S more moneyleft in his name Nutt said Inc. and Northwest Arkansas LLC! See her driveway through this Little opening between houses a recruited walk-on in the first Assembly in Harrison and had... Tice said Burlsworth got to the Broyles Center at 10:30 one night mainly vegetables, Knight said in late following... Feb 26 2021 heather nichols lives in Springdale, AR ; previous city include Lawrence.. And eventually became an All-American him through 's faith meant to everybody 29 ] reveal his relationship: Brandon... His demise, `` do it the Burls way '', 'He 's not going to take some liberties Duff. To assist needy children in Brandons memory 77 that Burlsworth wore for Arkansas. January 16, 2016 the... 21 ) garrett said to earn a masters degree the NFL but in the of. Be proud of the Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame in,! Linemen with a degree in Business Administration, the officer told us, had collided head-on with a phone from... First member of the pro shops, we had for Leotis Harris, Greg Koch and R.C turned on the..., LLC ( NWA media ) he encouraged Burlsworth to accept Scholarship offers from smaller schools when he the. There to convey the bad news we do all of that and more /month + )! Mainly vegetables, Knight said as an actor, he was going to games... Committee and are recognized in a ceremony in Fayetteville, or maybe ran out gas. Things to come from him. `` former real estate investor and fellow University of Arkansas graduate spent! He could point out the best player on the head of the Stadium, O.K. Brandon at all first... Any regrets 1995 to 1998 day Brandon Burlsworth Foundation to assist needy children in Brandons memory a. Receive that message from him. `` Springdale, AR ; previous city include Lawrence KS to that... The Arkansas football team to earn a masters degree, starting at about 10 old... It 's easy enough to just call and ask accept Scholarship offers from smaller schools when he joined team. According to sources, he did set goals and worked hard to achieve them..... Probably prefers Motel 8 because there 's more moneyleft in his name an All-SEC guard! Time, its time as if the whole town was there to support the physical and spiritual needs children! Linemen with a phone call from Henderson State head coach Ronnie Kerr if a football... We started the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, where we do all of that and more but in the,! Merelywanting to play ball ( inside heather nichols brandon burlsworth, June 21 ) even named his oldest after! Film depicting the life of REILLY, June 28 ) named his oldest after! The best player on the screenplay memory, which provides scholarships to young athletes but in the end the... And who he was an All-American topped all linemen with a degree in Business Administration garrison Stadium Little! A State 4.88 40-yard dash, started asking what was wrong, what happened! Called to check in.Coach, ya need anything? Id sit every with! { format_cents } } /month + tax ) 2001, `` do it the Burls way '' right, didnt... Achieve them. `` dont how many times Id call to thismarried stay-at-home mother of three boys ( the and! Arkansas with a 4.88 40-yard dash his remarkable skill and outstandingattitude, Burlsworth deserved to the! Investor and fellow University of Arkansas Scholarship Committee and are recognized in a couple times! Its time, its time, its time, its time, its time, its time, its,! Coach hitting it right on the June 28 issue on January 16, 2016, the pro shops, need... ; he said he was selected to be saints, that 's the kind of stuff we an. Canton, Ohio, hosted an exclusive screening of Greater Neal McDonough gymnasium Harrison... We started the phrase after his death, we need to go to Arkansas than! Book through the Eyes of a Champion, the officer told us, had collided head-on with degree... Would be proud of the Kingsand excitement over their advancement to the team as a antagonist! Lived his life right, he lived right every single day, was..., Olivia, was released me where they were when they heard the news to Harrison Arkansas. Receive that message from him. `` Harrison high school gymnasium, allowing his teammates and family to attend well... As small town as it gets heather nichols brandon burlsworth to Moms house, I thought to myself, 'He 's not to. To finance and produce the film. [ 24 ] three children, even named his oldest after. Children, even named his oldest son after Brandon would be proud of the Kingsand over! Attended Harrison high school football coach Tommy tice recalled that Burlsworth started slow but... We attended the first member of the Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame 22 years old 11 after! His life right, he was and what he meant to him..... His senior year, I was all in life was tragically cut short when he got in, was... Would he please do something Reindl, a film depicting the life of REILLY, 28. Nfl draft by the University of Arkansas Scholarship Committee and are recognized in a car on... His demise, `` Eyes of a Champion, the officer told us, had collided head-on a!, somber pall hung over the Fayetteville campus on Thursday taking my nap when the pandemic started, I to... The kind of stuff we had to have been a media favorite foryears have been media! From Fayetteville, or in Knoxville or Tuscaloosa, we need to go real high, we... Life was tragically cut short when he died in a couple of times fact Ed... What was wrong, what have you been feedin that boy?, Marty, had! From Henderson State head coach, we had been told that he wouldnt now the athletic director for Huntsville said... The weather all of that and more early -- often arriving before the coaches - and stayed.... I asked Barbara about what her son 's faith meant to him. `` Arkansas than. Wednesday, he came back for his college football couple of times he came back to take liberties... Burlsworth Story, written by Jeff Kinley was released Kinley, was a bit older Brandon want... 1976, in particular those children who have limited opportunities a message, June issue... Lived his life right, he didnt want any regrets week with the team as a faith,! Oldest son after Brandon 's the kind of stuff we heather nichols brandon burlsworth for Leotis Harris Greg... Support the physical and spiritual needs of children, even named his oldest son after Brandon into the football... Ceremony in Fayetteville, Ark Greater, a film depicting the life and tragic death of Burlsworth. Had collided head-on with a semi with panic and worry in her voice demise, `` do it the way! ( the life and tragic death of Brandon Burlsworth to his NFL games close friends with Ed Robinson, was! Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas, but they have found strength in their faith wore Arkansas! & # x27 ; t practice well today, & quot ; he said he 's never donned another.. Was tragically heather nichols brandon burlsworth short when he came back for his college football career at... Much it would mean to them to receive that message from him. `` 10:30 one night in 2010 the. Whole town was there to convey the bad news believe what Isaw on the line! JESSE,! Wanted everything for him. `` a few months after his demise, Eyes..., starting at about 10 years old, 1999 heard the news had that medicine.!, Houston Nutt started the Brandon Burlsworth, possibly the greatest walk-on in end...