Football Spotlight on Chris Ivy Jr.

Spotlight on Chris Ivy Jr. …

#65 Chris Ivy Jr. • 6-3 • 296 • Senior • Offensive Tackle
Chris Ivy Jr., a senior offensive tackle from Wichita, Kansas, was one of four football student-athletes representing Tulsa at the American Athletic Conference Football Media Day this week. Chris moved into the starting spot at left tackle last year and started all 12 games. He comes into the 2019 season as Tulsa's lone senior on the offensive line and has the most starts among the returning offensive linemen.

Does it seem possible that this is my senior season …
Honestly, I thought I'd never get here. Now that it is here, I'm just taking one day at a time. Everything that I've been through over the years and the experiences that I've had are all coming into fruition. I'm just grateful to be here.

Now the old guy on the offensive line …
(Tulsa lost three linemen who combined to start 128 years the last four years, and now Chris is the lone senior)
It's a really big responsibility. Especially now, that I'm the lone old guy – trying to get the young guys caught up to speed. It's different when you lose the experience that we did, now I've got to go out and help the younger guys with what I've earned learned from those older players over the years. At the same time these young guys make it easy on me because they understand the situation we're in and they know they need to be ready to learn and step in and do the job.

Not played football for very long …
I actually played my freshman and sophomore years of high school, but I was just on the team. I really didn't care about football and didn't take it seriously. I thought I was going to be a basketball player. I didn't have any passion for football. Then I lost my dad, and a lot of my friends who played football gathered around me and got me through a really tough time.

The light came on as a junior …
Going into my junior year I started getting bigger, started working out, eating more and working out. My head coach, who was also my line coach, told me 'dude you're big. This should be easy for you. You should dominate the guy in front of you every time.' He instilled that mentality in me, and football then became easy and became fun. I started to realize that I had some potential and could possibly do something with it in the sport of football.

My favorite NFL offensive lineman…
Over the years my favorite offensive lineman was Trent Williams, just because of the way he plays he makes it look easy. Now, it's Raiders left tackle Trent Brown. He's a monster. He's a real big dude and has great feet and able to move the way he does at 6-8, 380. The stuff he does in games I just love to see it.

Favorite part of football…
Finishing guys. There's nothing better than taking a man against his will and put him on the ground.

The next SHAQ…
I thought I was going to be the next Shaq (Shaquille O'Neal). I was going to be in the post every play, drop step and that's it. It's a wrap. I played basketball through my junior year, before realizing football was my best route.

What, Not the Chiefs…
I don't really have favorite a NFL team. I never rooted for the Chiefs. Never went to Arrowhead Stadium, and growing up it seemed like the Chiefs were a Missouri team, not a Kansas Team.

The hashtag that explains my time at Tulsa…
#Family. I've met so many good people here that will be friends and family for the rest of my life. That's the best thing being at Tulsa –– building different relationships and knowing you'll be friends for life.

Favorite superhero…
Black Panther. He's a super hero. He looks like me that's why he's my favorite.

Motherly Love …
My role model is my mom Wendy. She always puts people before her self. She raised me to be the man I am today. She's always respectful and caring. She has instilled in me to do the right thing.

Favorite moment…
It was at the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl. It was a great experience.

Dancing Bear…
Every once in awhile I'll break out into a little dance, Coach Monty is the first one to call me the Dancing Bear and it stuck.

My twitter handle…
@CIvy2697

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