Freshman Quarterback Baker Mayfield Named Semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy

Despite the four game losing skid the Texas Tech football team is on, freshman quarterback Baker Mayfield was named a Semifinalist on Tuesday for the Burlsworth Trophy.  This is awarded to the most outstanding collegiate football student-athlete who began his career as a walk-on.  A walk-on is defined as a player who began his first season of participation with a Division I (FBS) football program without financial aid of any kind from his university's athletic department.

Baker, who played his high school ball at Lake Travis  located 20 miles west of Austin, Texas, generated national headlines when he became the first true freshman walk-on to start the opening game of the season for a BCS program. In that first game at SMU, Mayfield would throw for 413 yards (43-of-60) and four touchdowns to lead Texas Tech to a 41-23 win over the Mustangs. His performance in that game earned Mayfield the "Best Debut Award" from ESPN as well as Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week.  In last weeks loss he played well as he racked up 314 yards on 28-51 passing while throwing four touchdowns and one interception.

On the season Mayfield is 194-296 throwing the ball while accumulating 2078 yards.  His touchdown to interception ratio currently sits at 12-8 as he has gone 5-1 in his six starts this year.  He has also been a threat with his legs, which is something Tech fans have not seen in a long time.  Rushing the ball he has 72 attempts for 187 yards and three touchdowns on the season.  All this has been despite the fact that head coach Kliff Kingsbury has also started fellow freshman Davis Webb for the previous four games prior to Saturday's Baylor game.  Coach Kingsbury has yet to say who will start in the Red Raiders final game against the Longhorns of Texas on Thanksgiving night has not been said.

The 10 semifinalists are: Jared Abbrederis, WR (Sr., Wisconsin); Max Copeland, OL (Sr., Missouri); Jake Doughty, LB (Sr., Utah State); Justin Hardy, WR (Jr., East Carolina); Spencer Long, OL (Sr., Nebraska); Cody Mandell, P (Sr., Alabama); Baker Mayfield, QB (Fr., Texas Tech); Ryan Mueller, DE (Jr., Kansas State); Jack Tyler, LB (Sr., Virginia Tech); Trey Watts, RB (Sr., Tulsa).

Fans are allowed to vote for their favorite player via the Fan Vote at www.burlsworthtrophy.com. Fans are limited to one vote per day, and the voting will conclude Sunday, November. 24th, at midnight CST. The Fan Vote counts as 5 percent during each round of voting, and it is combined with the results from the Selection Committee. Fan Vote totals are cleared after each round.