Harvard transfer Ty Bartrum brings Ivy League accolades to UCF, aiming to boost the Knights' defense and chase a championship.
Harvard transfer defensive back Ty Bartrum made the jump to Power Four football when he committed to UCF, and he wants to help the team win a championship.
Bartrum committed to play for the Knights on Jan. 8, bringing his high-level play from the Ivy League to the Big 12. The FBS competition is very different from the FCS, but the 6-foot-1 defensive back is ready for the challenge.
"I think there's definitely a higher ceiling for the amount of guys, which is great," Bartrum said after UCF's second spring practice. "You come out here, you're playing against a lot of guys that get a lot of snaps, a lot of big plays in big games, which is ultimately what you want to do in this game. You want to play against the best, be with the best."
Bartrum ended his last season at Harvard as one of the best defensive players in the Ivy League. He earned the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston's Bulger Lowe Award, All-Ivy League 1st Team and helped his team make the FCS Playoffs in the Ivy League's first eligible season.
The Ohio native totaled 83 tackles (27 solo), two forced fumbles, an interception and three pass breakups last season. He tallied a season-high 14 tackles twice against Stetson and Yale.
Tackling is Bartrum's strongest asset as a defensive back, which, when put against his teammates, would surpass Demari Henderson's totals by 22. But he's also focusing on improving his ability to make plays on the ball when it's in the air.
"If you don't miss tackles, you're going to be a great player," Bartrum said. "So eliminate missed tackles. Balls in the air, it's your ball. Get it at the highest point. If you're around the ball a lot, you're going to make a lot of plays, and that's what I try to focus on."
Alongside helping UCF win a championship, Bartrum aims to prove himself in a Power Four conference.
"I think at the end of the day, as I said multiple times, like if you're a football player, you can figure it out," Bartrum said. "Get your nose on the ball. Be around the ball, punch at the ball and I think you'll have a good career."
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