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Baker Mayfield Wins Burlsworth Trophy for Second Straight Year

By Chip Rouse

Dec 3, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield has been named the winner of the 2016 Burlsworth Trophy, which is presented at the end of every season to college football’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on.

Nov 12, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates with running back Samaje Perine (32) after running for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Baylor Bears at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates with running back Samaje Perine (32) after running for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Baylor Bears at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

This is the second consecutive year that Mayfield has won the award, the only player to do so in the six-year history of the award. The OU redshirt junior was one of three finalists for the award this season. The two other candidates were Washington State quarterback Luke Falk and Northwestern wide receiver Austin Carr.

Mayfield, who hails from Austin, Texas, walked on as a freshman at Texas Tech in 2013. He played in eight games for the Red Raiders his freshman year, starting at quarterback in seven of them. He elected to transfer after his freshman year, and enrolled at Oklahoma in the second semester of the 2013-14 academic year and walked on to the football program.

Because of the Big 12 transfer rule, he was forced to sit out the 2014 season, which he later was awarded back after winning a conference rule change on transfers who leave a program without being on scholarship.

This season, Mayfield leads the nation with a pass efficiency rating of 197.8 (the NCAA single-season record is 191.8), completion percentage (71.2) and yards per completion (11.1). He has averaged 305.8 passing yards per game and has a career-high 38 touchdown passes through 12 games.

Mayfield is also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, presented to the collegiate player of the year, and the Davey O’Brien Award, recognizing the most outstanding quarterback in college football. On Monday, he was invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday night. Mayfield finished fourth in the Heisman voting a year ago.

The Burlsworth Trophy is named in honor of former Arkansas walk-on Brandon Burlsworth, who started for three seasons at Arkansas and was named an All-American in 1998. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the 63rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later.

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