25 biggest villains in college football history
By Brad Weiss
Vontaze Burfict
Linebacker, Arizona State
For most football fans, the Vontaze Burfict they know is the perceived dirty player in the NFL. The star linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals has had his fair share of questionable plays during his time with the team, leading to some calling for him to be suspended for his play. However, there is no doubt that he is a fantastic talent, and those people who saw him play at Arizona State know that his behavior on the field did not start once he made it to the NFL.
During his time with the Sun Devils, Burfict was just as electric, and controversial on the field. In 26 games with the school, Burfict collected 16 personal foul penalties and battled with head coach Dennis Erickson. Erickson would go on to bench Burfict on numerous occasions, and when it came time for the NFL Draft, most teams did not think that Burfict was worth the headaches.
One play in particular that stands out was against another current NFL star. Playing against the Stanford Cardinal, Burfict grabbed wide receiver Doug Baldwin’s facemask, leading to a personal foul that would give the Cardinal a first down. Stanford would go on to score on the drive, winning a game that the Sun Devils should have taken. It was a play that was a microcosm of Burfict’s time on campus with the Sun Devils.
Burfict has a high motor, and that leads to him being on the wrong side of the penalty flag on more occasions that his coaches would like. He has also been known to step on ankles, and against the Pittsburgh Steelers in January of last year, Burfict’s cheap hit on wide receiver Antonio Brown caused the Bengals to blow a chance at making the playoffs. He was a villain then, and he continues to be a villain now.