Georgia Tech offensive lineman up for award for second-straight year
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech offensive lineman Joe Fusile (Richmond Hill, Ga./Richmond Hill H.S.) is on the official list of nominees for the 2023 Burlsworth Trophy, which was announced on Tuesday. The Burlsworth Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football who began his career as a walk-on.
Fusile, who came to Georgia Tech as a walk-on in 2021 and earned a scholarship after appearing in 10 games and making eight starts at guard as a redshirt freshman in 2022, has established himself as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top offensive lineman this season. He has started all eight games at left guard for the Yellow Jackets this season and is rated as the 12th-best run-blocker and 13th-best pass-blocker in the Atlantic Coast Conference by Pro Football Focus (fourth-best run-blocker and seventh-best pass-blocker among ACC guards).
The 6-foot-6, 302-pounder helps anchor a Georgia Tech offensive line that leads the ACC and is ranked eighth nationally in fewest sacks allowed with just seven in eight games (.88 per game). He and the Jackets’ offensive front have not surrendered a sack in 4-of-8 games, while also paving the way for Tech to rush for more than 300 yards twice this season. Last Saturday in a 46-42 win over No. 17 North Carolina, Fusile and Georgia Tech’s offensive line did not allow a sack and helped the Yellow Jackets roll up 635 yards of total offense (Tech’s most ever in an ACC game), including 348 on the ground (246 in the fourth quarter alone).
An electrical engineering major and member of the ACC’s academic honor roll, Fusile is a Burlsworth Trophy nominee for the second-straight season.
Three finalists will be selected from the list of 73 nominees and the 14th Burlsworth Trophy will be presented on Dec. 4 in Bentonville, Ark.
Fusile and the Yellow Jackets (4-4, 3-2 ACC) return to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Virginia. The game will be televised across the nation on The CW (Peachtree TV – Ch. 17 in Atlanta).
