Blue White Illustrated

n his four seasons as a Penn State bas- ketball player, forward Ross Travis never had any trouble getting dirty on the hardwood. In fact, he was named the team's Scrappiest Player as a freshman, making an instant impact as an energetic rebounder with seemingly no fear of mix- ing it up with the big boys of the Big Ten. Taking that spirit and running with it, Travis 5nished his Penn State career ranked third in school history with 816 rebounds. For the next act in his athletic career, he's hoping the same traits will carry over to a new arena in which there is actual dirt. Approached about giving the NFL a shot following the conclusion of his hoops eligibility, Travis has decided to grab the ball and run with it. "Somebody contacted me and asked if I wanted to get into a pro day. The last time I played football was in ninth grade," Travis said. "I gave it some thought, and I always thought about playing football again. I just thought it was a cool opportunity, and de5nitely one I had to take." Travis worked out for multiple NFL teams as a tight end this spring, and he could be poised to capitalize on his opportunity. This past season, Travis played in all 34 games, making 27 starts and averaging nearly 25 minutes and 5.5 points per game. His prospects of playing pro basketball were limited, but at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds – he was working to put on more weight in advance of the NFL Dra7, free agency and spring mini camps – he had the physique and athleticism to go in a di6erent direction, one that he had long thought about but hadn't actively pursued. "The only thing I really did was think about it, and that's really all that's gone into it up to this point. I haven't really prepared," he said. "An opportunity pre- sented itself a7er the basketball season, and I knew I had to take it." To Penn State head coach Patrick Chambers, Travis's decision to try football came as no surprise. He said that at the beginning of his playing career, Travis would talk occasionally about football. "It's kind of funny that it's all come full circle," Chambers said. "He said, 'I know I could play. I know I could catch some passes. I know I could run faster. I know I could be a tight end.' "It's always been in the back of his head, so when he was contacted and I was con- tacted basically on the same email, I was like, 'Wow. It's funny.' You put it in the universe, and now it's coming to fruition." Having played some football himself in high school and having a brother who "had a cup of co6ee in the NFL" a7er a collegiate career at Penn, Chambers has done nothing but encourage Travis's pro- fessional aspirations. He said his former player will have to be tough and nasty and not worry about getting hurt. It's not all that di6erent from the coach's late- season hoops mantra, and that similarity should help Travis make the transition. "You have nothing to lose, so why not? Why not go for it and try to live out a dream?" Chambers said. "It's pretty cool." NFL tight ends Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas and Antonio Gates have already accomplished what Travis is trying to do, so his goals aren't without precedent. He sees some parallels between their basketball careers and his own, and that realization has instilled con5dence that he can bring a similar mindset to the position. "If you read about them, a lot of us had the same stat line. We weren't all great scorers, but we were all terri5c rebounders and we didn't mind sticking our noses in things and getting a little dirty on the court. We didn't mind the physicality," Travis said. "I think that's the part of me that's going to transition over there the best. I think that shouldn't be an issue for me. "You only live once. So I decided to go for it, and that's what I'm in the process of doing now." ■ | REVERSING THE BALL Travis is trying to make the same career change that NFL tight ends Jim- my Graham and Antonio Gates made. Photo by Bill Zimmerman I Travis to pursue pro football career M E N ' S B A S K E T B A L L

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