Coffee cup in hand, I glanced at the front of the sports page on Thursday, and cried, "No, no, nooooo!"

My wife asked, "What's wrong?"

I showed her the story that Brandon Burlsworth, just months removed from his senior season as an All-American offensive guard at Arkansas, had died in an automobile accident on Wednesday. He was driving home to Harrison, Ark., from Fayetteville, Ark.

My wife knew I took this hurt personally. I'd never met a story subject who was such a perfect role model for my older son, who's a high school senior-to-be offensive lineman.

Burlsworth, the perfect balance of student and athlete, of fierce competitor and devout Christian.

"Brandon was the All-American boy, the neighbor kid down the street who was apple pie and football," said Arkansas offensive line coach Mike Markuson in muted tones on Thursday.

Burlsworth came to Arkansas as a walk-on with only Division I-AA and II scholarship offers. He left as a recent third-round draft choice of the Indianapolis Colts.

Academically, he earned a master's degree in business administration in 4½ years. Many athletes struggle to get a bachelor's degree in five years.

As a person, everything you need to know about Burlsworth can be found in the events of Wednesday afternoon.

The Arkansas team had a meeting about 4 in the afternoon to distribute rings for tying for the SEC Western Division championship. Burlsworth wasn't there.

"It wasn't in Brandon's plans to pick up his ring," said Arkansas trainer Dean Weber, who has been at the school for 27 years and said he's never seen anyone improve more than Burlsworth. "It was Wednesday, so that meant it was church night for Brandon. He was driving home to Harrison (from Fayetteville) so he could meet his family to go to church."

His strong Christian faith was one of many reasons why Burlsworth's teammates admired and adored him. They often kidded him because he was man of unerring routine. He picked out a parking spot as a freshman outside the Broyles Complex, and parked there daily without fail. Unlike most upperclassmen who moved to apartments, he stayed in a dorm every year. It was as basic as the occupant -- a bed, a chair, a TV and bare walls. He walked the same path from the dorm to the Broyles Complex. He got his ankles taped on the same table before practice every day.

Last year when the Razorbacks broke out their special red game pants to play Memphis, everyone in the locker room was excited.

"Everyone, but Brandon," Weber said. "He said, 'Y'all could have told me about this.' He was a guy who liked to prepare and he didn't have time to prepare for different-colored pants."

When Weber failed to convince Burlsworth to wear contacts while he was playing, he offered to have the university buy him some glasses.

Burlsworth would have none of that. He bought "the ugliest pair he could find," said fellow lineman Grant Garrett. Those Coke-bottle-thick specs became his trademark.

Burlsworth couldn't believe his glasses became a big deal. When asked about them, he often said, "I just wanted a basic pair of glasses."

His teammates told him he worked too hard, that he needed to relax. But to a man, they all wished they had his drive.

"Sometimes we'd come out of our office at 10:30 at night and there would be Brandon alone, working out," Markuson said. "He'd be practicing pass blocking or doing agility drills. We never asked him to do this. He was a guy who banged his own drum. He did what he saw fit to get to the top."

He hadn't yet signed with the Colts, but negotiations probably wouldn't have lasted long. Just like the ring, the money wasn't important.

"I saw Brandon last week and said, `Are you ready to go make that big money?' " Arkansas receiver Anthony Lucas said. "He said, 'I'm just really ready to go play.' He was a perfect guy. I never even heard him cuss."

Last week at the Colts' mini-camp, the Colts' coaching staff and linemen immediately fell in love with Burlsworth. Offensive line coach Howard Mudd, enchanted with Burlsworth's discipline, told him to quit calling him "sir."

"It's my loss that I won't have the chance to become friends with him," Colts' center Jay Leeuwenburg said. "From the time spent with him, you could tell he was at ease with himself and had confidence."

The last time I saw Burlsworth was on Jan. 1 in an almost-empty locker room after he ended his college career in a Citrus Bowl loss to Michigan.

True to his character, he was the last to leave.

"I wish I had another year to play (for Arkansas)," he said, picking up his duffel bag. "All I ever wanted to do was play for the Razorbacks. I love this coaching staff. I love these players."

They returned the love with their tears. As they filed in for the saddest team meeting of their careers on Thursday, just 24 hours after getting their rings, the Razorbacks were greeted with a sign anonymously taped on the door overnight at the Broyles Complex.

It said, "Brandon, We Love You and We Miss You."

More than he'll ever know.

Ron Higgins writes for The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.