Demone Harris Named a Burlsworth Trophy Nominee
11/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
FAYETTEVILLE, AR – University at Buffalo defensive end Demone Harris has been named a nominee for the 2017 Burlsworth Trophy. The award is given to the most outstanding football player in the nation 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 a FBS (D1) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university's athletic department. The 2016 winner was quarterback Baker Mayfield from the University of Oklahoma. Mayfield is believed to be the only true freshman Walk-On QB in FBS history to start a season opener. He also led his Sooners to the college football playoffs in 2016.
A team captain, Harris is having the finest season of his career. The senior defensive end has 42 tackles, a team-best 7.5 tackles for loss and a team-best three sacks. He also has five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the year. After originally joining the UB football program as a walk-on from Buffalo's Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School in 2013, Harris has since earned a scholarship and has totaled 94 tackles and 7.5 sacks over his career.
Harris is one of six nominees from the Mid-American Conference and one of four defensive ends on the list.
Click here for the entire list of nominees.
