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#95 Travis Britz |
Position: Defensive Line Previous College: None Projection: Starter Status: On Scholarship |
Travis Wayne Britz (b. Jan. 26, 1994) is a big, physical defensive lineman who made an immediate impact playing as a true freshman before starting every game as a sophomore in 2013. He should continue as a starter in 2014.
Following in the footsteps of Raphael Guidry during the 2011 season, Britz has four career blocked kicks to tie for second in school history — and he had them all in one year. Two more such plays will give him the career record.
Britz has been voted a player representative for the 2014 season. He's come a long way since I thought he was likely to redshirt in 2012, when he played competently at tackle as a true freshman in our championship season.
Last year, Britz earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches, making 37 tackles from his defensive tackle position, including 6.5 for a loss and three sacks, while batting away four passes.
His four blocked kicks against UMass, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Texas Tech led the nation. His best was when he tallied a blocked field goal at Oklahoma State, which was returned 65 yards for a touchdown by Kip Daily.
Britz set a career high with five tackles against Baylor, while he had a career-best four solo stops against TCU.
He amassed six solo tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble in the 11 games in which he saw action in 2012. He's by far the best returning defensive tackle on the fall roster, based on experience.
Rivals rated Britz the No. 20 overall player in a state that had a bumper crop of talent in his class. He was a 2011 first-team all-state pick by the Missouri Coaches Association and Missouri Sports Writers Association.
A 2011 Kansas City Star All-Metro first-team pick, Britz recorded 70 tackles and seven sacks in 2011, collected 99 tackles and three sacks as a junior, and totaled 214 career tackles in three seasons overall.
Other accolades include his being a two-time All-Missouri River Valley pick, and a MaxPreps second-team All-American and Missouri Class 4 Defensive MVP in 2011.