Its hard not to imagine what might have been had Burlsworth not passed away when he was 22. If Billy Ratliff is still out here playing, whatever injury I have, it cant be that bad, Coleman said. Burlsworth, 22, a third-round draft pick from Arkansas, was killed in a car crash less than a half-hour from home Wednesday. I think the movie speaks to people in many different ways, Reindl said. His heart weighed a good part of that. Powered by ThinkWeb, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION'S STUDENT MEDIA NETWORK AT HARDING UNIVERSITY, Faith, Trust and Character: The Life and Legacy of Brandon Burlsworth, Three players lead softball team to terrific start, Track construction nearly complete, ready to host, 22 teams compete in annual pickle ball tournament, Womens and mens tennis teams push through season, Bison baseball kicks off season with five straight wins, Harding softball begins season in Louisiana, Ambassador discusses efforts against human trafficking. Tommy Tice, Brandon's high school coach at Harrison, said most people couldn't know that Brandon had etched the noseband of his trademark black-rim glasses with the words "All-American. During his UT career, Ratliff suffered a severe neck injury, two torn knee ligaments and serious shin splints. I will never do better, and I am at peace with that. The magazine did an extensive eight-page piece on him. Billy Ratliff had every opportunity to give up during that game because that kid was giving him the business, the entire game.. Carrolton (AP) - Former Arkansas offensive guard BRANDON BURLSWORTH died in a car crash as he headed home to Harrison from Fayetteville, officials said. They said they were at a loss at what to do after Brandons death but knew they had to do something to keep moving forward. Brandon Burlsworth was the former All-American offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Every place starts with a cadence and ends with a whistle. Brandon was very undersized as a freshman and sophomore, a skinny kid. The Vols finished the regular season by blasting Kentucky 59-21 and Vanderbilt 41-0. As UTs defense tried to hold on, quarterback Tee Martin and UT offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe were devising a drive in which theyd have very little time left if they got the ball back at all. I pushed Brandon back. He went to mini-camp, but was killed a few days . In his junior year, he split time with a senior on the offensive line for half the season and then became the full-time starter. Brandon and Ed played football together and became very close friends over the years. 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. He loved the kids, Marty Burlsworth said. After the Arkansas game, we knew that was our moment, former UT cornerback Dwayne Goodrich said. Brandon's family established an establishment in 1999 to respect him. Brandon Burlsworth, Indianapolis Colts. Harding School of Theology student Ben Hansen said the movie far exceeded his low expectations due to the quality of some Christian movies. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. However, once Marty stopped listening to him it returned to less detail. I tell people all the time that if I was still in the game when that happened, we probably would have lost because I just didnt have it in the tank right then, Coleman said. In reality he also had one from Henderson State University. "It would have been great to see Brandon play, but it wasn't God's plan. That wasn't the way it's supposed to be, and that's what you accept.". "He loved the coaching staff and grew close to Coach Mudd immediately," said Marty. "Brandon felt very good about getting on the field and beginning the next step of his career. He knew he could be going against Bruce Smith on opening day. He was already getting ready for that challenge.". Its hard not to imagine what kind of player Ratliff would have been had he not been injured so often. After minicamp, he was projected by his coaches to start as a rookie. 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. Tee came off the field and Billy told him, Hey man, dont put your helmet away. He earned first-team All-SEC honors in 1997 and 1998; he was also named a first-team All-American during the 1998 campaign. The Indianapolis Colts wore his initials, BB, on their helmets for the 1999 season. You like to see those kinds of things happen in sports. He inspires people. 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 . When he got to Arkansas as a walk-on, he knew that he had to put everything he had into it and more. Tice said he also called then-Hog head coach Danny Ford and asked him to take a look at Brandon. Im not sure what coach Nutt was thinking about, Ratliff said. "At Arkansas the coaches told him one day his legs could be stronger. Well, he ends up squatting 700 pounds.". He wanted to help underprivileged kids with his NFL money. Tragically, at the age of 22, 10 days after the draft, he was killed in a car accident on April 28th, 1999 while on his way home from the University of Arkansas to attend church with his mom. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth was born in Harrison, Arkansas, on September 20, 1976 to Leo Burlsworth and Barbara Burlsworth. Departments offer new classes across campus, Student Association hosts first birthday bash. by Clay Henry | August 27, 2016 at 1:00 a.m. Arkansas' Brandon Burlsworth tells a story to teammates before the beginning of practice at Thunder Field on Dec. 30, 1998 . ", Tammy and Danny Roth of Harrison were friends of the Burlsworths. He continued to grow and was a good 6-foot-2, 260 pounds in his senior season. Brandon was elected to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and the UA Letterman's Association Hall of Honor in 2004. A rookie mini-camp was held days after the draft. When publicity photos were taken, the lights in a confined photo area cast reflections that made the picture impossible. 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). . BURLSWORTH, 22, a third-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts on April 17, was driving on U.S. 412 when he became involved in . "The connection with the Colts now is just what we want it to be. It's almost like it was at Arkansas," said Marty. "When you go on their campus, it feels like family because we know so many people. It feels that way with the Colts. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Though Burlsworths story is not new, Budman felt that he should approach the story, with reporter Tom Rinaldi, as if every viewer was learning about it for the first time. 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. Midnight Madness kicks off basketball season, Social clubs prepare for Homecoming Parade, James Huff receives another research grant. 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. At halftime of the team's season-opener against Buffalo, Colts owners Jim and Meg Irsay presented Burlsworth's family and Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles with checks for $5,000 each. Burlsworth, who began his college career as a pudgy walk-on and became a standout offensive lineman for the Razorbacks, was killed in a traffic accident April 28 while driving from the campus. He died in a car crash on april 28 1999 shortly after he was drafted by the nfls indianapolis colts. He just never sought the limelight. The fundraising event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. Throughout his football career, Brandon Burlsworth never let adversity stop him from achieving his goals. Hes in college at Georgia Southern. I, for one, didnt know about it, and anyone Ive talked about it with didnt either, so I dont think you try to get too outside the box in your thinking. The fans respected him for starting out as a walk-on, working hard to become a three-year starter and finishing his career as an All-American. Brandon's vehicle collided with an oncoming 18-wheeler, forcing him to re-enter his lane. Its no surprise that Wilson, who was on the sideline with a torn groin, was leading the charge to get the ball back late in the game. FAYETTEVILLE There is a great . Anyone within earshot of Ratliff just moments before heard him call his shot. One of Fulmers favorite phrases was Pound the Rock, as in run the football until the other team breaks. "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.". MB: Brandon was revered pretty quickly for the obstacles that he overcame. Ratliff pounced on the ball. Burlsworth ran a 40-yard touchdown in 4.88 seconds during the combine, more than any other player. It was tough. One Burlsworth's Arkansas jersey number 77 was retired by the Colts for Hall-of-Famer Jim Parker, but Burlsworth's memorial picture ran on page 77 of the Indianapolis media guide. A "BB" sticker inside the club logo was worn on the rear of helmets that season. He loved the sport, though, and worked his way to all-state honors by the time he graduated. Few of them, though, have followed the same road as Brandon Burlsworth. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Burlsworth was killed 15 miles from home on a road he had traveled for years when his car drifted into the on coming lane.