The note arrived on the day Brandon died. Midnight Madness kicks off basketball season, Social clubs prepare for Homecoming Parade, James Huff receives another research grant. Sure enough, it happened. Brandon burlsworth was the former all american offensive lineman for the arkansas razorbacks. The Comfort Inn's scrolling marquee was simple, but also eerie: ``Remember Brandon Burlsworth,'' followed by the time and temperature. Candidates compete for Searcy mayor as Volleyball finishes record-breaking season at NCAA Thundering Herd welcomes high school guest Megias leads womens cross country team Basketball teams start seasons with high Community organization holds sixth annual Thankfulness Students take advantage of nearby concerts. One Yet Ford agreed to let Brandon show up as a "preferred walk-on.". "I kept coming back to comparisons with Brandon. The Vols won eight consecutive games to start the 1998 season before they hosted Arkansas. COLTS DRAFT PICK DIES IN CAR CRASH - Chicago Tribune The Colts honored the Burlsworth family on opening day in 1999 with a framed jersey number 66. ", Tammy and Danny Roth of Harrison were friends of the Burlsworths. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts and 11 days later was tragically killed in. Good fortune was certainly on the Vols side against Arkansas. Tee came off the field and Billy told him, Hey man, dont put your helmet away. MB: After Brandons death, it was rough at first and I certainly struggled. Former Arkansas football player and Indianapolis Colts draft pick Brandon Burlsworth died Wednesday in a car crash while travelling to his home, state police said. When Zac Budman was assigned to produce a feature for College GameDay Built by The Home Depot on the late Brandon Burlsworth, he did his research and learned the amazing and tragic story of the former Arkansas Razorbacks offensive lineman. The more the "farmer" talked to Marty about faith and religion and making him doubt the more detailed it became. Brandon's vehicle collided with an oncoming 18-wheeler, forcing him to re-enter his lane. In the short time Brandon was on this earth he left a legacy and a positive role model that will be remembered long after we are gone. He hosts an SEC radio show out of Chattanooga and covers the SEC for Saturday Down South. "He stayed around the house and left for Fayetteville on Tuesday," Vickie says. "Through the years, we have stayed close. We're very appreciative of Mr. Irsay and the bond his organization has with us. My mother always has gotten a Colts Christmas card. We've kept a feeling of being a part of Brandon's team.". My Brother Brandon - The Players' Tribune However, the player some consider the best walk-on in college football history was tragically killed in a car accident just 11 days later. The football fraternity had great expectations from the talented young man but fate had other plans and he was killed in an accident. Published: Wednesday, August 24, 2016. ET on ESPN from Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Texas. Brandon Burlsworth was the former All-American offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks. A mother losing a child at that young age, it was tough. Carrolton (AP) - Former Arkansas offensive guard BRANDON BURLSWORTH died in a car crash as he headed home to Harrison from Fayetteville, officials said. You like to see those kinds of things happen in sports. Thats the way I went about it.. One of the most unusual aspects of the Arkansas fumble is that Ratliff shouldnt have been in the game at all. "Greater" Story of Brandon Burlsworth Casting Call for Principle and The car accident happened on April 28, 1999, near Alpena when he was on his way back from his hometown of Harrison after a workout in Fayetteville. His truck collided with an approaching 18-wheeler causing him to veer into his lane then he crashed with another tractor-trailer head-on. All rights reserved. He definitely was, Coleman said. He had worked so hard and everything was in line to make his dreams come true. The other producers couldnt guarantee just how accurate the depiction would be. After that ran, we began getting calls from Los Angeles about doing a movie. Two collisions followed, and the life of a wonderful human with vast talents was over., Jerry Jones Had a Number of Hall of Fame Teammates and Coaches at Arkansas, Including Jimmy Johnson. The walk-on who became an All-American, a person who responded, 'Yes sir,' or 'No sir,' to every question, decided to bypass a ring ceremony honoring the school's SEC Western Division title. He wanted to head home, have dinner with his mother, Barbara, and attend a Wednesday night church service. He was drafted in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft to protect oddly enough former Vol quarterback Peyton Manning. Q: What was your involvement with the movie process from the beginning until now? Brian Reindl, writer and producer of "Greater," said he loved the opportunity to tell such an incredible story in his first-ever production. After college he became a third-round pick of the Colts. Request more info or view our 3D Seat Viewer below! Almost Perfect ARKANSAS LINEMAN BRANDON BURLSWORTH - Sports Illustrated Tragically, that never happened. 1976 April 28, 1999) was killed in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas, on . MB: Shortly after the accident, we got a call from a national magazine. Arkansas All-American Walk-On Burlsworth Now the Subject of Film Greater misses key fact - Arkansas Online "Greater" - A True Story Worthy Of Hollywood - Arkansas Razorbacks #OvercomingTheOddsParalympian Scout Bassett embraces her story of scars, survival ESPN https://t.co/HHMSCULYIU, Lillian Jackson (@diamondlil1016) August 29, 2019, Friends, I spent the day with Arsenals Gunnersaurus Rex. When I heard Brandon passed away, it hit home, Ratliff said. The team broke into laughter. You cant control it, Ratliff said. Honors College announces new faculty fellow. While his tragic death may have ended his football career, it didnt stop the linemans ability to change the world. Mudd went on to scale heights with Indianapolis that included the NFL's all-time winningest regular-season record over a decade (115-45, 2000-09), multiple division titles, two AFC crowns and a World Championship. They award eighteen $5,000 academic scholarships, and one $10,000 Walk-0n athletic scholarship each year. Do it the Burls way: Have character. He had absolutely no quit in him. The Fumble that kept Vols' national title run on track almost never Although he never played a down in the NFL, he had impressed Mudd enough during mini-camp that. When he got to Arkansas as a walk-on, he knew that he had to put everything he had into it and more. 77 retired. This is the life story of Brandon Burlsworth who is probably best known as a former offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1995 - 1999 (which is also the same time I went to the University of Arkansas). Before he ever hit the gridiron, though, the lineman tragically died in an offseason accident. Eyes of a Champion, for example, helps provide free vision exams and glasses to low to moderate income, uninsured children. Burls Kids, which operates in both Arkansas and Indianapolis, brings children to football games and provides them with an unforgettable experience. Its hard not to imagine what might have been had Burlsworth not passed away when he was 22. Brandon was very undersized as a freshman and sophomore, a skinny kid. Miranda Valles, 21, died in a motorcycle accident over the weekend on I-290. Leo Burlsworth United States Social Security Death Index Age 59 Given Name Leo Surname Burlsworth Birth Date 19 Oct 1938 State Arkansas Last Place of Residence Boone, Arkansas Previous Residence Postal Code 72601 Event Date 02 Apr 1997 ===== LEO BURLSWORTH 19 Oct 1938 02 Apr 1997 (V) 72601 (Harrison, Boone, AR) 72601 (Harrison, Boone, AR) 000 . There was only one problem. Brandon doesn't start out with all . "When Brandon showed up at the rookie camp, he was even better than I thought he'd be," said Mudd. He was the first pick in the third round, the 63rd overall selection. In this 1999 photo, the locker of Brandon Burlsworth is seen encased in glass in the locker room at the University of Arkansas. The Indianapolis Colts wore his initials, BB, on their helmets for the 1999 season. The film shows Brandon receiving a scholarship offer from Arkansas Tech University. Scanlon will be the 14 th recipient of the award, the first being awarded in 2010 to Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt.. A 2-year letterman for the Razorbacks, Kevin . Some called the Vols lucky after the Arkansas game. Suddenly, the Vols had the ball in Arkansas territory with time to mount a more conventional drive. You can see through the movie that the way he lived his life and how his family reacted answers the question of what to do when these things happen.. The offensive guard had been named an All-American and a two-time All-SEC First Team player. He was selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. Our family chose to turn our grief into something that would make a difference and honor Brandon for the things he felt so strongly about. More than. He was in the prime of his football career. "If God ever made the perfect person, it was that guy," said then teammate Sacha Lancaster to Sport Illustrated. All rights reserved. He was made to do it. But that same night, April 28, Mudd received a phone call from a newspaper reporter, asking him, "Have you heard about Brandon Burlsworth?" Burlsworth had been killed in a car accident. To this day, I still think if he would have fulfilled (his career), wed be talking All-Pro and Hall of Fame Brandon Burlsworth right now., NEXT: David Cutcliffe throws Vols a curveball just before National Championship Game. Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. We had never had a problem with anybody in the SEC but Florida. Q: How important for you was it that this movie get made? Q: Brandons life seemed to have incredible highs and lows. During his UT career, Ratliff suffered a severe neck injury, two torn knee ligaments and serious shin splints. All-American ( 1998) 2 First-team All-SEC ( 1997, 1998) Arkansas Razorbacks No. Foreign Language Department brings back after-school Harding employees bring families to swim Searcy Police and Public Safety investigate Reframing chapel: administration introduces changes, Student Association celebrates Earth Week. Before I leave the remarkable legacy of Harrison's Brandon Burlsworth and the film of his life called Greater, now showing in nearly 400 theaters across America, I want to share a few back-story notes about the 22-year-old Razorback All-American who died in a tragic traffic accident on April 28, 1999. Shane Steichen quarterbacked Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado, Calif., where he teamed up with future Colts wide receiver Austin Collie. But there was a film made about it and there were a lot of articles about it. There is some footage of the real Brandon after the last credits. "He listened, then just did it," said Tice. Burlsworth film moves to Netflix - hotsr.com Think about how much it must have hurt Russell to keep this secret, and how much he's risking by coming out now while trying to revive his NFL career. In the book about Brandon's life, retired businessman Bud Walsh of Harrison is credited with advising Brandon's older brother Marty to contact Razorback Assistant Coach Harold Horton to hopefully become a walk-on. . know it would happen, but Brandon knew all his life that God had placed His hand upon him and that he would be nowhere without God. . For fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Burlsworth has been a household name for years. What else could I do? He could finally reap the rewards of everything he put into the game all the training, all the schooling, all the dedication, all the hard work. The lineman had returned from the Colts' weekend minicamp. Greater misses key fact. Philip Straub said the call came in at 4:17 p.m. that there was a crash involving a car and a tractor-trailer on U.S. 412 near Carrolton. He whipped my butt that whole game, Ratliff said. Burlsworth Trophy Announces Nominees - Burlsworth Trophy Houston Nutt: 'I was locked into Brandon Burlsworth' - AMP With a chance to be Harrison's first full-time resident to make a professional sport, brother and agent Marty remembers draft day. Secure the best seats & best benefits for next season, and be there live for exciting matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and more of the NFL's best opponents. Actor Chris Severio as Brandon Burlsworth, wearing his trademark black-rimmed glasses. When (Greater producer and co-screenwriter) Brian Reindl came to us, we instantly felt a comfort level with him and his desire to tell Brandons story. After walking on, Burlsworth became an All-American and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts to help protect Peyton Manning. Burlsworth was killed in a car accident less than two weeks after he was drafted. If Billy Ratliff is still out here playing, whatever injury I have, it cant be that bad, Coleman said. Brandon Burlsworth excelled in high school football, making All-Conference and All-State. Since 2010, the Burlsworth Trophy has been handed out to the best player in college football who started his career as a walk-on. Sad to see the pain still inside him. The Colts also announced all members of the team will have a special decal on their helmets in a tribute to Burlsworth. However, once Marty stopped listening to him it returned to less detail. I cant imagine losing a child at that age. Click to reveal Mock Draft Monday, our weekly roundup of experts' predictions for who the Colts will take in the NFL Draft, is back with the NFL Combine getting underway in Indianapolis this week. The temperature was a balmy 77 degrees. "He's in heaven now. Fatal crash robs Colts of a rookie barely met - tampabay.com After his death, Burlsworth's #77 became only the second retired number in Razorback football history. Marty Burlsworth, Chairman/CEO and founder of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, is a resident of Harrison, Arkansas. Two collisions followed and the life of a wonderful human with vast. MB: We want them to know that bad things can and will happen. Freshmen bring people together with Bison El Puente celebrates National Hispanic Heritage University executes new check-in procedures for Harding students from Florida react to Harding students to participate in business ASI kicks off distinguished lecture series University centers Lectureship around Christ and Q&A with Lisa Williams, ambassador for University celebrates Williams inauguration, Songwriting contest ends in recording workshop. Phillip was saying Weve got to throw it. Brandon was on his way home from the university of arkansas to pick up his mother and attend church when the accident happened 11. Sow with thought, you reap in action. Brandon Burlsworth is growning from an unwanted accident of a child, to an abnormally large teenager, to a high school football . I knew nothing of Brandons story, said Budman. As of the 2020 census the population stood at 128. It was meant to be.. The magazine did an extensive eight-page piece on him. He was traveling to Harrison from Fayetteville to . A dream shattered by tragedy - Tulsa World Literally. Burlsworth, 22, a third-round draft pick from Arkansas, was killed in a car crash less than a half-hour from home Wednesday. The fundraising event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. In Anticipation Of UFC 285 On ESPN+ PPV Saturday, Four Experts Weighed In, ESPNs Renewal Of Three-Year Formula 1 Deal Is Off To A Roaring Start, Starting Five: NBA Today and NBA Countdowns Malika Andrews.