Purdue Quarterback Aidan O'Connell Named Finalist for 2022 Burlsworth Trophy
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue sixth-year senior quarterback Aidan O'Connell was tabbed a finalist for the 2022 Burlsworth Trophy, an award given annually to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on.
O'Connell was one of three finalists, joining Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett and Troy linebacker Carlton Martial.
𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) November 15, 2022
Aidan O'Connell - 1 of 3 finalists for the @BurlsworthTrust, awarded to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on.
Congratulations Aidan! #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/4TeRWeIzfQ
The Burlsworth Trophy was named after Brandon Burlsworth, who went from a walk-on to an All-American at Arkansas. Last year's recipient of the award was former Arkansas linebacker Grant Morgon.
Ahead of a matchup with Northwestern on Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium, which is Purdue's final home game of the season and will serve as Senior Day for the team, O'Connell reflected on his journey from being a walk-on to the starting quarterback for the Boilermakers.
"I try to use it as something that brings me joy," he said. "It makes me more of a grateful person, more thankful for the opportunities I've had. I definitely couldn't tell you back then that this would have happened.
"It hasn't always been easy and it hasn't always been fun, but it's been just a great journey that I've been super blessed just to be a part of. Obviously, no matter what happens after this, I'm just happy that I've had these experiences and get to share these memories with people."
So far during the 2022 season, O'Connell paces the Big Ten Conference with an average of 297.2 yards passing per game, which also ranks 13th in the nation. He has completed 254 of 398 passing attempts for 2,675 yards, 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
O'Connell began his career with the Boilermakers as a walk-on in 2017 and was the eighth quarterback on the depth chart. He has since risen to rank first in all-time completion percentage in program history at 66.8 percent. The Long Grove, Ill., native is tied for the most 500-yard passing performances in school history with two.
Both of those games came during the 2021 season, which helped Purdue reach a 9-4 overall record that featured two wins over opponents ranked in the top five. O'Connell threw for a career-best 536 yards along with three touchdowns in the team's 40-29 upset over then-No. 3 Michigan State on Nov. 6, 2021, at Ross-Ade Stadium.
O'Connell capped the year by completing 26 of his 47 passes for 534 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes in a thrilling 48-45 overtime win against Tennessee in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.
The veteran signal-caller has thrown for over 300 yards in 13 games, eclipsing 350 yards in 12 of them. Before a 24-3 loss to Iowa on Nov. 5, O'Connell threw for more than 300 yards in three straight games, accomplishing the feat for the second time in his career. Drew Brees and Jim Everett are the only other quarterbacks in program history to produce three straight 300-yard games twice in their careers.
Finalists will be honored and the winner of the 2022 Burlsworth Trophy will be announced on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. CT at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Ark.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.