BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State junior linebacker Noel Cook was announced Tuesday as one of 69 nominees nationally for the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes to the outstanding FBS player who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
Cook, who actually enrolled early at App State as an invited walk-on, averages 6.3 tackles a game with 38 stops in six starts this year. After missing the opener at Penn State with an injury, he helped the Mountaineers pitch four straight second-half shutouts against Charlotte, Gardner-Webb, South Alabama and Arkansas State before Louisiana scored with 1:03 remaining in its loss at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Oct.