UCF safety Ty Bartrum is well aware of the curious glances he gets when he mentions that he attended Harvard.
“I have to tell them I’m not a wizard, I’m the same as you,” Bartrum said recently. “I had a great education, but it was a blessing.”
Advertisement
Football remains the same, whether you’re playing in the Ivy League or the Big 12, which is part of the reason Bartrum decided to continue his athletic career at UCF.
As a redshirt senior, Bartrum started 30 games for the Crimson, amassing a total of 244 tackles, including 8 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery along with 13 passes defended.
“My goal is just to play at the highest level I can,” said Bartrum. “Coming here and doing this, this has been great and everything I learned at Harvard, I’m going to bring here at the end of the day, it’s football. Not a lot of things change. So just put my best foot forward and keep doing what I do.”
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Bartrum is among eight new defensive backs joining the roster this offseason. He, along with fellow safeties Caleb Flagg (Houston Christian) and Matt Irwin (Idaho), along with cornerback Jailen Duffie (North Dakota State), are the latest veterans to join the secondary for the Knights.
Advertisement
“He’s another experienced, older guy,” said defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. “I’ve referenced within the coaching room that the adult table is a lot bigger than it was a year ago, using the Thanksgiving example. We’ve got the kids table and the adult table and there are a lot of people at the adult table now.”
Some of those other adults include returning starters Antione Jackson, Jayden Bellamy and Braeden Marshall, coupled with returners Demari Henderson, DJ Bell, and Jayden Williams.
Scott Frost lauds UCF’s toughness, gives spring update on QB Alonza Barnett III
UCF finished last season ranked third in the Big 12 in passing defense, allowing just 185 yards through the air. The Knights allowed just 13 passing touchdowns but recovered only nine interceptions.
Advertisement
Bartrum’s presence not only adds experience but also brings a leadership component.
The Ohio native earned the honor of being the sole captain of Harvard’s team last season.
“I’m a team-first guy,” said Bartrum. “I try to get the best out of my teammates because if I’m doing that, they’re going to get the best out of me. There are a lot of great guys on this team to build off of and ultimately, you get the best out of each other.”
It’s that leadership that’s made Bartrum a favorite among special teams coordinator Pete Alamar, who cast him in the role of personal protector on punts.
“The guy has played a lot of football and he’s been a great communicator as a defensive back,” said Alamar. “So, it’s pretty natural for him to stand in there and communicate. I love the leadership that he’s shown on his previous film and love what he’s done here in the offseason.”
Advertisement
It’s easy to see where Bartrum gets his approach to the game.
His father, Mike, played long snapper and tight end at Marshall before eventually spending 13 seasons in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. He went on to become an assistant coach and currently coaches football at Rio Grande, an NAIA program.
His brothers, Zach and Cody, also played football at Ohio Dominican and Charlotte, respectively.
Bartram’s interest in football drew interest from several Ivy League schools.
“I never thought about going to the Ivy League. I didn’t know much about it,” he said. “I hopped on a couple calls with a couple guys, and then a couple alumni from Harvard, and I realized the amount of sacrifices my family’s made for me coming up. It would be a disservice for me not to pursue this for the rest of my life.”
Advertisement
Bartrum’s next challenge is ultimately trying to win a championship with the Knights. He’s not worried about the jump in talent from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
“You want to play against the best and be with the best,” said Batrum. “There’s a lot of hungry guys, and that can be dangerous in terms of how we can excel coming into the fall.”
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
