Brandon Burlsworth: The Greatest Walk-On in College Football History
Our American Stories
iHeartPodcasts
4.6 • 817 Ratings
🗓️ 14 October 2025
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Brandon Burlsworth first stepped onto the University of Arkansas practice field, almost no one believed he belonged there. He had no scholarship, no athletic pedigree, and nothing to recommend him beyond an unshakable work ethic. Yet every morning, he showed up before the sun and stayed long after the lights went out. Over time, the kid from Harrison earned his place among the Razorbacks’ best. His discipline transformed him from an overlooked walk-on into an All-American lineman, respected by coaches, teammates, and fans who saw something rare in his character. Brandon’s family and coaches share the story of the man for whom the national award for the best walk-on player is named.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:04.0 | What I told people, I was making a podcast about Benghazi. |
| 0:08.5 | Nine times out of ten, they called me a masochist, rolled their eyes, or just asked, why? |
| 0:15.1 | Benghazi, the truth became a web of lies. |
| 0:18.5 | From prologue projects and Pushkin Industries, this is Fiasco, Benghazi. |
| 0:23.9 | What difference at this point does it make? |
| 0:27.4 | Listen to Fiasco, Benghazi, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 0:33.4 | Music This is Lee Habib, and this is our American Stories, the show where America is the star and the American people. |
| 0:53.2 | The Burlesworth Trophy is awarded every year to the |
| 0:55.9 | most outstanding Division I college football player who began his career as a walk-on. Previous |
| 1:01.7 | recipients include Tampa Bay's quarterback, Baker Mayfield, and Stetson Bennett of the L.A. Rams. |
| 1:07.7 | It's named after Brandon Burlesworth, a truly remarkable person on and off the field. |
| 1:13.1 | Here to get us started with the story is Tommy Tice, Brandon's high school coach. |
| 1:17.6 | Take it away, Tommy. |
| 1:18.6 | Brandon Burlesworth is the best person I ever met in my life. |
| 1:25.6 | My name is Tommy Tice, and I was Brandon's high school coach. |
| 1:32.3 | I first came in to meet Brandon when he was the seventh grader and he entered our program |
| 1:38.3 | and started his journey from there through the high school and I remember being called |
| 1:43.3 | by the junior high coach at that time, a man named Enki Williams. |
| 1:47.0 | And Enki wanted me to come look at this young man. |
| 1:49.0 | He said, he's really going to be something special. |
| 1:52.0 | So I was paying a little bit closer attention to Brandon as he got to be a ninth grader |
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