Sept. 29, 2011
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State senior linebacker Miles Burris has been named one of 127 semifinalists for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy, which was announced Thursday by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame. The NFF scholar-athlete program awards postgraduate scholarships based on both a player's academic and athletic accomplishments. Each of the 127 players, only 47 of whom play in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), is also a candidate for the 2011 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award.
Burris is one of four semifinalists from the Mountain West as Air Force offensive lineman A.J. Wallerstein, Boise State offensive lineman Nate Potter and Wyoming offensive tackle Clayton Kirvenwhich were also selected. The MW is one of seven conferences with at least four representatives on the list of FBS nominees.
Burris had a breakout season in 2010, leading the Mountain West in sacks (9.5) and tackles for a loss (20.0) and ranking second in forced fumbles (4). The Granite Bay, Calif., native also ranked among the top 20 in the nation in all three categories and in the top 10 of SDSU's single-season lists. Through four games in 2011, he has 26 tackles, with five of those for a loss, two sacks and a recovered fumble.
Burris is majoring in business management and boasts a 3.25 grade-point average. He is a three-time conference all-academic selection, has been named an SDSU scholar-athlete every semester and was tabbed the 2010 San Diego State Student-Athlete of the Year this past April.
Nominated by their institutions, each candidate must be a senior or graduate student in his final year of eligibility, have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The award was renamed in 2009 in honor of Bill Campbell, who is a former player and head coach at Columbia University, who went on to become the chairman of Intuit.
The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 16 finalists for the Campbell Trophy via a national press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 26. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2011 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class and will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The Campbell Trophy winner, who will have his scholarship increased to $25,000, will be announced at the NFF's Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
The William V. Campbell Trophy, first presented in 1990, adds to the program's mystique, having previously honored two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, two Heisman Trophy winners and five first-round NFL draft picks. In 2010, the Campbell Trophy was awarded to Sam Acho from the University of Texas.