Junior
offensive guard Spencer Long was one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth
Trophy, the selection committee announced on Tuesday. Long was one of four
players from the Big Ten Conference among the 10 semifinalists.
Named
in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, an Arkansas walk-on who went on to become an
All-American before losing his life in a car crash 11 days after he was drafted
by the Indianapolis Colts, the trophy is presented annually to the nation's
most outstanding football player that began his career as a walk-on. Nebraska
has a semifinalist for the trophy for the second straight season, as center
Mike Caputo was a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy as a senior in 2011.
A
native of Elkhorn, Neb., Long walked on to the Husker program in 2009. After redshirting
his first year and not seeing any game action in 2010, Long was one of three
offensive linemen to start every game in 2011. His play on the line helped
Nebraska rank 14th nationally in rushing offense and paved the way for All-Big
Ten running back Rex Burkhead to rush for 1,357 yards. Long, who earned a
scholarship prior to this season, has again been one of the conference's best
linemen this fall. A 2011 second-team All-Big Ten selection, Long has started
every game this fall, helping the Huskers rank eighth nationally in rushing
offense, 20th in total offense and 23rd in scoring offense. With Long and his
teammates leading the way, Nebraska has produced a total of 13 individual
100-yard rushing games in only 11 contests this season.
Long
has also excelled in the classroom at Nebraska. He was an academic All-District
VII selection as a sophomore last season, and Long earned the same honor again
this fall. He is a strong candidate to bring home CoSIDA Academic All-America
accolades. He carries a 3.75 cumulative grade-point average as a biological
sciences major.
Fans
are encouraged to vote for their favorite player at www.burslworthtrophy.com. From the
list of 10 semifinalists, three finalists will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
The winner of the 2012 Burlsworth Trophy will be announced on Dec. 3 at a
banquet in Springdale, Ark., sponsored by the Springdale Rotary Club.
2012 Burlsworth
Trophy Semifinalists
Andrew
Abbott, Sr., SS, UCLA
Jared
Abbrederis, Jr., WR, Wisconsin
Ezekial
Ansah, Sr., DL, BYU
B.J.
Finney, So., C, Kansas State
Jordan
Kovacs, Sr., S, Michigan
Alex
Kupper, Sr., OT, Louisville
Spencer Long, Jr.,
OG, Nebraska
Matt
McGloin, Sr., QB, Penn State
David
Quessenberry, Sr., OT, San Jose State
Andrew
Seumalo, Sr., DT, Oregon State
