FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The honors continue to roll in for Hunter Duplessis, as the UTSA senior place-kicker on Tuesday was announced as a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is given to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on.
Duplessis is one of 67 players nominated from FBS schools across the country for the Burlsworth Trophy. In the award's 11th year, the trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-America offensive lineman.
This honor comes on the heels of Duplessis being selected on Monday as one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. The San Antonio Cole High School product also was a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist this year.
Duplessis did not play football until his senior year of high school and then chose to walk on at UTSA in 2016 without any scholarship offers after attending a summer camp. Following a redshirt season, he worked his way into handling kickoff duties for the Roadrunners over the next two seasons before winning the place-kicker job prior to the 2019 campaign, when he was placed on scholarship.
This season, Duplessis has made 16 of 18 field goals and 37 of 38 extra points. His 16 field goals lead C-USA and rank fourth among all FBS kickers, while he stands second in the conference and 22nd nationally in field goals per game (1.45) and third in the league and 14th in the country in field-goal percentage (.889). He has scored a UTSA single-season-record 85 total points in 2020, good for second in C-USA and 14th in the nation.
Duplessis made his first 14 field-goal attempts this season and his final nine in 2019, carrying an FBS-best streak of consecutive field goals made for five weeks this fall before it was snapped at 23 with a block against Louisiana Tech on Oct. 24. He made all three field goals he attempted, including the game winner from 29 yards in the second overtime of the Roadrunners' 51-48 season-opening victory over Texas State, and he was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. He also went 3 for 3 on field goals, including a 35-yarder in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference in UTSA's 37-35 win over Middle Tennessee.
Duplessis is a perfect 11 for 11 on field goals from 20-39 yards and 5 of 7 from 40 or more yards. He made a career-long 50-yarder against Army and split the uprights from 49 yards in back-to-back games versus Florida Atlantic and UTEP. He also has handled kickoff duties and owns 15 touchbacks on 46 kicks this fall.
Besides setting the school record for points in a season, Duplessis is second on UTSA's single-season lists with 16 field goals and 37 extra points and his 62 career PATs place him second on the program's career chart. He ranks third all-time with 25 field goals, 76 kickoffs and 137 points and fourth with 23 touchbacks.
Duplessis posted a 3.78 GPA as a double major in information systems and cyber security during his time as an undergraduate at UTSA, earning his bachelor's degree in August 2020. He is currently continuing coursework in technology management. A four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll, he has made the UTSA President's List (4.0 semester GPA), Dean's List (3.75) and Honor Roll (3.5) twice apiece.
A two-time member of the football team's Leadership Council, Duplessis is a member of the Society for Collegiate Leadership & Achievement, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and "The Banquet Table" student group. He has volunteered his time with the San Antonio Food Bank, Haven for Hope (local homeless shelter) and UTSA's Rowdy Readers program that visits local elementary schools.
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 an FBS football program without financial aid of any kind from his university's athletic department.
"A college football walk-on faces an uphill battle from the very beginning. He has to prove himself to his coaches and teammates. He has to prove that he belongs," said Marty Burlsworth, President and CEO of the Burlsworth Trophy and older brother of Brandon. "Beginning your college football career as a walk-on isn't for everyone. It takes a tremendous work ethic and a great deal of determination. You have to want it! This group of Burlsworth Trophy nominees has proven to the college football world that they not only belong but can excel at the highest level of the game."
Without one D-1 scholarship offer, Brandon Burlsworth walked on at 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, 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. Burlsworth's life is also the subject of a major motion picture, "GREATER", which was released in 2016.
The Burlsworth Trophy will host an awards ceremony virtually on Jan. 4 to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2020 winner.
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