Adam Mihalek named a Burlsworth Trophy nominee
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida kicker Adam Mihalek is a finalist for a unique college football award. Mihalek was added to the Burlsworth Trophy nominee list, the Burlsworth Foundation announced on Tuesday. The award is given to the “most outstanding walk-on player in the country.”
Mihalek grew up playing soccer but was talked into playing football his junior year of high school.
“I only had two scholarship offers, I think it was Army and Navy I believe and the rest were PWOs. Then I also went through the COVID year so I remember I was in a semi-huge class in high school and coach Graham called me one time and he was like, hey, how does it feel, do you want to be a Gator? I was like, yeah, of course,” Mihalek said in September.
“I’m like really blessed Coach Graham got me here and last year I’ll be really honest I wasn’t at my best I would say, so yeah I was a juice boy, that was fun, too But now this year, this staff’s changes, I just realized OK I have an opportunity, I have a clean slate, brand new, I was like I know what I can do, I know I can do better than what I was doing prior to I had been during that season. So it was like, this is here, it’s now or never, I’m all in.”
The redshirt freshman earned the starting kicking job after camp earlier this fall. Mihalek hit a career-long 52-yard field goal in the game against Georgia last Saturday. He has hit two field goals of 50 yards or more this season.
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Mihalek, a product of Tampa, Florida, is a perfect 27/27 on extra points this season, and opted to walk on at Florida after considering offers from Army and Navy.
“I always wanted to play at a big school,” Mihalek said. “I wanted to play in the SEC. The SEC is pretty awesome. I really love the Gators.”
About the Award Mihalek is being considered for
In the award’s thirteenth year, the Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas Walk-On and All-American offensive lineman. Burlsworth’s life is also the subject of a major motion picture, “GREATER”, which was released in 2016. The Burlsworth Trophy is given to the most outstanding football player in American who began his career as a Walk-On and has shown outstanding performance on the field. Each nominee must have begun his first season of participation with FBS (D1) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university’s athletic department.
Without one D1 scholarship offer, Brandon Burlsworth walked on at the University of Arkansas in 1994. He became a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL draft. He was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory. It supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities.
The Burlsworth Trophy award ceremony to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2022 winner will be held on December 5th.
