GREATER : The Brandon Burlsworth Story: Through the Eyes of a Champion

by Jeff Kinley, Frank Broyles (Foreword), David Hunt (Preface)

On April 28, 1999, on a lonely Arkansas highway, a wreck claimed the life of a young man who was bound for glory in the NFL. Brandon Burlsworth, widely considered the greatest walk-on in the history of college football, was a man of hard work, integrity and commitment, who took no shortcuts in life. He was a shining example of a fleeting life lived well. Burlsworth's astonishing physical, mental and spiritual gifts made him the kind of player that opponents are afraid to line up against. An almost unreal blend of power and speed, Brandon wanted to be the best. He was. Brandon was not born with athletic gifts that are normally required to reach the elite levels of football. Though he desperately wanted to fulfill his dream of playing Division 1 ball, nobody would give him a chance and he failed to receive any D-1 scholarship offers. Risking everything to walk on at the University of Arkansas, Burlsworth worked harder than anybody else, on or off the field. He would eventually become the first Razorback to earn a master's degree while playing football, achieved first team All-American honors, and in 1999 was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts and expected to be a first year starter and anchor the Colts' line for the next dozen years. Brandon Burlsworth never cursed, drank or smoked, and he returned home every weekend of his college career to see his mother and attend church with his family. This was a guy who did everything 'right', only to see all of it snatched away right before he could enjoy the fruits of his hard work. With everything appearing to fall into place for Brandon, we are left with why? "Through the Eyes of a Champion" has as its goal a reasonable answer to the 'why', along with the pure joy of celebrating a magnificent life.

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 24, 2020

About the author

Jeff Kinley is a bestselling author who has written 32 books. Jeff is passionate and intentional about equipping Christians to know God and His Word. His books have been translated into multiple languages and sold throughout the world. Jeff's speaking ministry takes him to far away countries where he speaks on the topics related to his books, most notably Bible Prophecy. His Vintage Truth Podcast can be heard twice a week, and has listeners in over 70 countries.

Reviews

[Brad Skow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read Greater: The Brandon Burlsworth story. This book had 283 pages. I have done my view on Goodreads.

I really enjoyed this book because the amount of struggles and hard times Brandon went through, plus this whole story is based on a true story. The story starts off with Brandon being a young boy and he was being underestimated by his coach and when he put him in he go to the QB so fast but didn't make the tackle, so everyone thought it was all just luck. When Brandon gets older he wants to go to the next level and playing at a D1 level in Arkansa, towards the end of graduation day he has received an scholarship from a different school but he was upset so him and his family tried their best to get Brandon a scholarship from Arkansa. He goes into the college and the head coach doesn't think he get a scholarship but hes a walk on, through out his whole time in college he works his hardest into getting an athletic scholarship. During his time at the college the head coach see's how hard working he is and he works with Brandon to make him earn the scholarship he has been working for. Later in the story, everyone is at practice with walk ons and athletes that have scholarships, they all go head up against each other and the head coach puts the best player out of all the athletes against Brandon and everyone is surprised Brandon won and the head coach was proud, impressed, and glad to see how much hard work pays off. Brandon gets to know his room mates after receiving a full ride scholarship, the biggest difference from all his friends is that Brandon is more hard working and more smarter. Brandon works hard everyday and through out the season and he destroys on the line and towards the last weeks of college he is put into the NFL draft and is selected by the Colts and Brandon is proud of what he has accomplished and how much hard work pays off. When all his dreams come true, he is at football practice and has to go home to go to church with his mother and family. When Brandon is going home he ends up in a terrible accident with a semi truck leading him to his death, his mother always told him to drive safely and she would always says "look out for semi trucks" because the amount of semi trucks would drive on the roads. This book is very heart braking and inspiring because at the beginning he didn't have the height or size to become a D1 football player but his hard work proved everyone wrong and to see his dreams be gone in a instant is sad.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Brandon Burlsworth book is an inspiring book to any audience. He started out a chubby kid who just ate cheesecake and ate chips and sat on the clutch and watch Arkansas college football team play. His brother Marty was always mad because he was just getting fat and that getting any exercise. He played youth and he made a play but he tackled the guys leg and he didn’t go no where, and the kids threw a touchdown. The Local Highschool coach was there and he had said “why don’t you come play for me” he had replied “I’m only in the 7th grade” coach wanted Burlsworth and he changed his life and inspired him. He was a walk-on at university of Arkansas he was 6’3 335. He was going to get cut in the spring but the coach saw something in him and they worked together day in and day out until he was the right weight, then he got a scholarship and was a 3 year starter. They were not the best team though. His senior year they got a new coach but he convinced him to not rebuild and that they were the ones to do it. Coach believed him and they won all season and lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee. He then was drafted by the colts and 11 days before signing his contract and moving his mom out of Arkansas and giving her a better life he was killed by an 18 wheeler. This was an amazing book and I do recommend to readers.

[Rachel Lamberson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the story but the book seemed to jump all over the place.

[Nolan Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watch you listen it good

[Ajay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was good but the best part was cut out, but I understand why. If the story had left in the part where Brandon Burlsworth actually gets into the wreck instead of the aftermath, it could scare young children, although young children probably can't or shouldn't be able to read this wonderful biography.