Top Three Finalists Announced for Burlsworth Trophy
Winner to be named December 9th, 2024
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., Nov. 19, 2024 – The three finalists for the 15th annual Burlsworth Trophy have been selected and include University at Buffalo Linebacker Shaun Dolac, Indiana University Defensive Lineman James Carpenter and University of Oregon Linebacker Bryce Boettcher. A total of 78 universities from across the nation nominated a player for the 2024 award. Last week the list was narrowed to 10 semi-finalists. The Burlsworth Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding college football player in America who began his career as a walk-on.
Finalists will be honored and the winner of the 2024 Burlsworth Trophy will be announced December 9th, at
7:00pm CST at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.
The 2024 finalists are:
Shaun Dolac, University at Buffalo, RS-Senior – Linebacker
Shaun Dolac turned down a lacrosse scholarship to Albany to pursue a Division I college football career. Despite not receiving one FBS scholarship offer, he walked on at Buffalo to honor his late father, John, who dreamed of his son playing college football. He’s made his dad proud excelling for the Bulls.
After missing most of the 2023 season with injury, the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder has enjoyed a dominant 2024 campaign racking up 137 total tackles. That mark leads the nation as of Nov. 16 and his 66 solo tackles is second nationally. Dolac also has three interceptions and three sacks. He has been named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week three times through mid-November and MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week once.
Dolac burst on the scene as a junior in 2022 when he was second in the nation and led the MAC in total tackles with 147. His 97 solo tackles, a school record, led the nation. He also totaled 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. For his efforts, Dolac earned All-MAC first-team honors. Dolac started four games last season before an injury sidelined him. He played in all seven games, mostly on special teams, as a freshman in 2020 and appeared in all 12 games playing a more significant role defensively in 2021 after earning a scholarship a few weeks before the season began.
Dolac, who was a standout running back and linebacker at nearby West Seneca (N.Y.) East High School, is a two-time Academic All-MAC selection majoring in Spanish.
The Roanoke, Va. native saw some action in 2020 and 2021 after redshirting in 2019. He graduated from JMU with a bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation management and is pursuing a master’s degree in adult education/human resource development.
James Carpenter, Indiana University, RS-Senior – Defensive Lineman
Carpenter is no stranger to the Burlsworth Trophy, but he is representing a different team this year as a finalist. Carpenter began his career as a walk-on at James Madison but transferred to upstart Indiana this fall.
The 6-foot-2, 288-pounder has collected 25 total tackles, 8 tackles for loss and 4 sacks, which leads the Hoosiers, after 10 games. With no captains named to start the season, Carpenter has been a game captain each week.
The Roanoke, Va., native played in 40 career games with the Dukes with 37 starts from 2019-2023. He was an All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2022-23 and totaled 141 tackles, 28 TFLs and 11.5 sacks. Carpenter also accumulated two interceptions, two recovered fumbles and one forced fumble during his JMU tenure.
Carpenter, who earned a scholarship in 2021, graduated from JMU with a bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation management and started work on a master’s degree in adult education/human resource development at JMU.
Bryce Boettcher, Oregon, Senior – Linebacker
Boettcher was a three-star football recruit coming out of high school but decided to concentrate on baseball for the Ducks when he enrolled in the fall of 2020. That seemed to be a good decision as he has helped Oregon to back-to-back super regional appearances as a center fielder and won an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove. He was also taken in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros.
However, when Ducks head football coach Dan Lanning took over, he encouraged the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder to walk on before the 2022 season. Initially, a safety, Boettcher played 12 of 13 games on special teams. In 2023, he shifted to inside linebacker and was fifth on the team in total tackles with 37, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
This season, the former high school quarterback and basketball player leads the team after 10 games with 69 total tackles and has a sack, an interception and four pass breakups.
Boettcher grew up and attended high school in Eugene, Oregon, home of the U of O campus.
Past Burlsworth Trophy winners include:
- 2023 – Cody Schrader, Running Back – Missouri
- 2022 – Stetson Bennett, Quarterback – Georgia
- 2021 – Grant Morgan, Linebacker – Arkansas
- 2020 – Jimmy Morrissey, Center – Pittsburgh
- 2019 – Kenny Willekes, Defensive End – Michigan State
- 2018 – Hunter Renfrow, Receiver – Clemson
- 2017 – Luke Falk, Quarterback – Washington State
- 2016 – Baker Mayfield, Quarterback – Oklahoma
- 2015 – Baker Mayfield, Quarterback – Oklahoma
- 2014 – Justin Hardy, Receiver – East Carolina
- 2013 – Jared Abbrederis, Receiver – Wisconsin
- 2012 – Matt McGloin, Quarterback – Penn State
- 2011 – Austin Davis, Quarterback – Southern Mississippi
- 2010 – Sean Bedford, Center – Georgia Tech
About the Burlsworth Trophy
The trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth. Without one D1 scholarship offer, Brandon walked on to
the Razorback team in 1994, worked his way to being 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 but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory and supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities. For a full narrative of the Foundation’s work, visit brandonburlsworth.org.
About the National College Football Awards Association
The Burlsworth Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.
