Segun Olubi Named a Burlsworth Trophy Nominee

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- San Diego State senior linebacker Segun Olubi (Corona, Calif.) has been named a Burlsworth Trophy nominee, the Springdale Rotary Club announced Tuesday. Olubi is one of 88 student-athletes on the list.
 
The Burlsworth Trophy is given to the most outstanding collegiate football player who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field. Nominees must have started their first season of participation with a Division I football program without financial aid of any kind from their athletic department. The trophy is named in honor of former Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman Brandon Burlsworth.
 
Olubi has started six of the team's eight games this year, registering 28 tackles (14 solo) this year, including two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and five quarterback hurries. Olubi ranks in a tie for third in the Mountain West in forced fumbles (2, T-27th in FBS) and tied for seventh forced fumbles per game (0.25, T-42nd in FBS). Additionally, his two tackles on the punt return unit are tied for the most on the team.
 
Prior to joining the Aztecs in 2020, Olubi played at three different levels of collegiate football, including NAIA at College of Idaho in 2017, junior college at Saddleback College in 2018 and Division II at Harding Univ. in 2019. Olubi was awarded a scholarship on Aug. 25 after fall camp and was named a team captain the following days.
 
Previous SDSU nominees for the award include current wide receiver Jesse Matthews (2019-20), current Buffalo Bills player Kahale Warring (2017-18), current San Francisco 49ers starter Daniel Brunskill (2016), Dakota Gordon (2015), Joel Alesi (2014) and Chad Young (2013).
 
The 2020 winner was Pittsburgh enter Jimmy Morrissey.  
 
The Burlsworth Trophy will host an awards ceremony on Dec. 6 at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, to honor the three finalists and to announce the 2021 winner.
 
Olubi and the Aztecs (7-1, 3-1 MW) play at Hawai'i at 5 p.m. HT (8 p.m. PT) Saturday.