The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 3/3/5 Football’s Taaffe named Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist
11.12.2024 | Football
The junior defensive back was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy on Tuesday.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas junior defensive back Michael Taaffe was recognized as a semifinalist for the 2024 Burlsworth Trophy, the Burlsworth Foundation announced Tuesday afternoon. The Burlsworth Trophy is given annually to the most outstanding football player who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
Taaffe is one of 10 semifinalists named for the award. He was chosen as the Burlsworth Trophy's National Player of the Week on Oct. 29 and the Southeastern Conference's Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28.
The Austin, Texas, native is a fourth-year defensive back and former walk-on for the Longhorns who has played in 36 career games with 19 starts. During his time on the Forty Acres, Taaffe has amassed 115 tackles (62 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, four interceptions, 12 passes defended, one forced fumble and one blocked punt. Taaffe is a leader on one of the nation's top defenses this season, helping the Horns pace the FBS in passing efficiency defense (89.39) and passing yards allowed (135.3 ypg). The Longhorns also rank second nationally and lead the SEC in total defense (251 ypg), and rank third nationally in first down defense (133), fourth in scoring defense (12.1 ppg), sixth in passes intercepted (14), seventh in turnovers gained (20) and 13th in third-down conversion percentage defense (0.300). UT is the fifth-best defense in college football at getting stops and preventing points, posting a 79.6 percent stop rate and surrendering only 0.95 points per drive. Texas is one of three FBS teams to surrender less than one point per drive, joining Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Through nine games in 2024, Taaffe ranks second on the Longhorn squad in pass break-ups with five and third in total tackles with 41. The safety has also registered 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble. In UT's 49-17 win against the Florida Gators on Nov. 9, Taaffe racked up two stops and a pass break-up. He's the only Longhorn to record an interception and a forced fumble in the same game this season after doing so in Texas' win at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, earning the Burlsworth's Trophy National Player of the Week and the SEC's Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Taaffe forced two turnovers to go along with six tackles and a pass break-up against the Commodores. Taaffe led a Longhorn defense that held Vanderbilt to just 269 total yards, including 155 passing and 114 rushing. The Commodores didn't have a drive longer than 43 yards until their last one of the game, and two of their three touchdowns came following Texas turnovers inside the 40-yard line. In the 34-3 win vs. No. 18/16 Oklahoma on Oct. 12, Taaffe logged a three-tackle effort and was responsible for a momentum-changing sack for a loss of 13 yards in the second quarter. In a primetime conference matchup vs. No. 5/4 Georgia on Oct. 19, Taaffe dazzled with a career-high nine tackles (seven solo) and a pass break-up.
The selection committee will announce the top three Burlsworth Trophy finalists on Nov. 19. The Burlsworth Trophy Award Show will honor the three finalists and announce the 2024 winner at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Ark.
The trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth. Without one Division I scholarship offer, Brandon walked on to the Razorback team in 1994, worked his way to being a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL draft but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory and supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, particularly those children who have limited opportunities.
Taaffe and the Longhorns hit the road to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 16, inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The game will air on ABC with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst) and Katie George (sideline) on the call.
