ESPN has announced the latest installment in the SEC Storied documentary series focused on the 1998 Arkansas football team to air on SEC Network.
On November 14, 1998, Arkansas played Tennessee in a battle of two unbeatens. The Razorbacks were the Cinderella story that year, rattling off eight straight wins in a complete reversal from the four-win campaign in 1997.
But a fumble by Arkansas quarterback Clint Stoerner with the Razorbacks leading Peyton Manning and the Volunteers by two points late in the fourth quarter ultimately led to a Tennessee win, dashing any hopes Arkansas had that year of remaining in the national championship game hunt.
True Character will tell the story of the ’98 season through the perspectives of Stoerner and offensive lineman Brandon Burlsworth. Stoerner tripped over Burlsworth as he dropped back to make a pass and then turned the ball over.
“The unlikely connection between two gifted athletes, Brandon Burlsworth and Clint Stoerner, drew me to the story of the fumble, and how that split-second play in a crucial game would change their lives forever,” said documentary director David Beilinson.
“Discovering that both men shared a dogged determination, a passion for competition, and remarkable self-confidence that would propel them to the top of their sport, revealed a narrative that transcends sports. Clint explains that true character is revealed in times of adversity, and they both shrugged off criticism and naysayers to overcome the obstacles in their way.”
Beilinson directed the five-part series Bananaland for ESPN+, which spotlighted the Savannah Bananas. He’s also collaborated with Netflix, HBO A&E, NBC, ABC, and PBS to create content. His previous experience directing SEC Storied documentaries includes Win or Else, which was the story of the first integrated basketball team at the University of Kentucky to win a national championship.
True Character airs on November 14 at 9 PM on SEC Network.
