FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Tennessee punter Trevor Daniel has been named one of 63 national candidates for the 2017 Burlsworth Trophy, as announced this week by the Burlsworth Trophy in conjunction with the Springdale (Ark.) Rotary Club.
Now in its eighth year, the Burlsworth Trophy recognizes the most outstanding Division I (FBS) football player who began his collegiate career as a walk-on and has since demonstrated an exceptional on-field performance.
The award is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, a former University of Arkansas offensive lineman who began his career as a walk-on with the Razorbacks. Burlsworth went on to become a 1998 All-American and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 1999. Tragically, he was killed in a car accident 11 days after the National Football League Draft. His life story was released in a major motion picture, “Greater,” last year.
Through eight games this season, Daniel has 47 punts for 2,209 yards and a 47.0-yard average, which ranks second in the SEC and fourth in the nation. Daniel’s 19 punts inside opponents’ 20-yard line and 21 punts of 50 or more yards lead the SEC. His 19 punts inside the 20 also rank fourth among Power Five schools.
Daniel’s 47.0-yard season average is on track to break Tennessee’s all-time record and his 45.6 career punting average ranks second among active NCAA punters, regardless of division, and is tops in UT history. Daniel’s 72-yard punt in the fourth quarter versus South Carolina this season also marked the longest punt in a regular-season game by a Vol since VFL Joey Chapman booted a 74-yard punt against Pacific in 1990.
In 2016, Daniel cemented himself as one of Tennessee’s all-time greatest punters. He ranked third in the SEC and 11th nationally with a 44.6 punting average and boomed 21 punts of at least 50 yards, including a conference-long 70-yarder against South Carolina. Daniel also pinned the opposition inside the 20-yard line 28 times.
To start the 2015 season, Daniel entered preseason camp in a three-way battle with a fifth-year senior and a highly touted freshman for the first-team punter spot but Daniel soon established himself at the Vol’s starting punter through his consistency and work ethic. In 13 games, Daniel punted 60 times for a 45.7 average which ranks second in UT history. The average ranked eighth in the NCAA and second in the SEC. Daniel had 25 punts downed inside the 20 and a long punt of 61 yards in his debut against Bowling Green in Tennessee’s season-opening game. In addition to earning a spot on the Ray Guy Award Watch List and being a Burlsworth Trophy candidate, Daniel was named to the 2015-16 Pro Football Focus Team of Bowl Season.
The Dickson, Tennessee native joined the Vols as a walk-on in 2013 and earned the second-team punter position as a redshirt freshman in 2014. Daniel was awarded a scholarship prior to the 2015 season.
The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation and the Springdale Rotary Club will host an awards ceremony on Dec. 4 in Springdale, Arkansas to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2017 winner.
-UT Athletics
