LOGAN, Utah – Utah State junior placekicker Elliott Nimrod is one of 73 official nominees for the 2023 Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded annually to college football's most outstanding player that began his collegiate career as a walk-on.

Through the first eight games of the season, Nimrod has kicked off 45 times for 2,701 yards, averaging 60.0 yards per kickoff, with 21 touchbacks.

Prior to the 2023 campaign, Nimrod had never attempted an extra point or field goal for the Aggies, but has scored 55 points in 2023 on one touchdown, seven field goals and 28 extra points.

Nimrod has only missed two field goals this season and is 2-of-2 from 20-29 yards, 3-of-4 from 30-39 yards and 2-of-3 from 40-49 yards. He is also 28-of-30 on extra points.

In Utah State's home game against James Madison on Sept. 23, Nimrod scored a career-high 14 points on one touchdown, one field goal and five extra points.

Down by 24 early in the second quarter against the Dukes, the Aggies started chipping away at the deficit when they successfully executed a fake field goal. Nimrod initially lined up for a 35-yard field goal, but instead of going through with the kick, he took the pitch from senior punter/holder Stephen Kotsanlee and ran 18 yards for the touchdown.

Nimrod capped the first-half scoring against JMU when he drilled a 28-yard field goal.

The 6-foot, 180-pound native of Bentonville, Arkansas, currently ranks fourth in the Mountain West in field goal percentage (.778), 10th in scoring (6.9 ppg) and 10th in field goals (0.88 pg).

For his career, Nimrod has appeared in 42 games, kicking off 223 times for 12,854 yards with 82 touchbacks.

In the award's 14th year, the trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, who began his career as a walk-on at Arkansas and ended up earning All-American honors as an offensive lineman in 1988.

Nimrod is one of six players from the Mountain West listed as a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy.

After enjoying its lone bye week of the season, Utah State heads back out on the road to take on San Diego State on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 5 p.m. (MT), in a game that will be televised on FS2.

For more information on the Utah State football program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUFootball, on Facebook at USUFootball and on Instagram at USUFootball.
 
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