We are almost there, stay with us. Here is part four of our five-part series on players to watch for in 2009 takes a look at talented but inconsistent defensive tackle Travis Ivey.
Redshirt Senior DT Travis Ivey (6-foot-4, 325 pounds)
If ever there is one player on the Terps this season who can really make a name for himself, it is the big man from Riverdale. Most everyone knows that Ivey has incredible talent, now he just needs to stay healthy for a full season and make sure he stays in shape.
Departed linemates Jeremy Navarre and Mack Frost may not have been All-ACC caliber players, but they were more than serviceable, and they held their own over the course of the season. The Terps will be breaking in a lot of new defensive lineman, and line coach Dave Sollazo should be depending on his most experienced player to lead the group.
Ivey had 26 tackles, including four for negative yards, and a sack after missing the first four games of last season. He was still slowed by the injury even after he came back, but at times he showed flashes of being a disruptive force in the trenches.
Injuries and inconsistency have plagued Ivey throughout his career in College Park. He saw the field sparingly as a sophomore in 2007, but missed three games with a knee injury and barely played when he recovered. If Ivey can finally stay healthy and make plays all season, he could be a rock for defensive coordinator Don Brown’s defense.
Once again Ivey seemingly looked good throughout the spring before going down with a concussion and losing valuable reps. Despite the injury, both Sollazo and Ralph Friedgen said they was pleased with Ivey’s performance and hopeful he could maximize his physical talent in 2009.
The move away from the 3-4 in favor of Brown’s more aggressive 4-3 defense could help Ivey who probably won’t face as many double teams as a result of an added player. He should also get more chances to rush the quarterback and show off his surprising athleticism.
Michael Lemaire is a staff writer for The Diamondback. He can be reached at lemairedbk@gmail.com