Temple University Athletics
Football Walk-Ons Are Rewarded For Their Effort
8.20.18 | Football
PHILADELPHIA- College football is a rewarding game to the athletes that have dedicated their lives playing the game they love. It takes discipline, motivation, and peak performance to be considered to play college football. Student-athletes have to balance a rigorous academic schedule with practices, workouts, and games.
It's even tougher when a player is not on scholarship. Not only does he have to balance all of this, but he also is paying for his education.
For walk-on players it can be even harder to see the field and possibly even start in games.
However, three Temple walk-ons: graduate student Todd Jones, graduate student Chris Myarick and redshirt senior Rob Ritrovato, had the burden of paying for college lifted with scholarships.
All three found out in unique ways, but the reaction between the three was the same: joy and elation.
Ritrovato joined Temple football as a walk-on in 2014. He was put on scholarship during Temple's bye week in his redshirt junior year. Ritrovato said being awarded a full scholarship was a big honor, even with the unconventional timing of the award.Â
"It was at 6:15 in the morning at a team meeting. So, eyes were still crusted low," Ritrovato said. "Once I realized what happened, it was a surreal feeling, but at the moment, it was like a confused 'Am I dreaming? Am I still asleep?' kind of deal."
"Nitro" has become an integral part of Temple's running game, but his nickname all started when he was part of the linebacker corps when he first joined the team. Ritrovato got the nickname from his linebackers coach at the time, Mike Siravo.
"Nitro was a competitor on the show 'American Gladiators'. We were in a meeting and he said, 'You look like someone." So, he pulled up the picture and he said, 'That's you. You're Nitro now,'" Ritrovato said.
Needless to say, the nickname stuck pretty quickly.
"Next day, I walk around the building. Coach Rhule walks up to me and says, 'Hey Nitro, how's it going?'" Ritrovato said. "It stuck so well that towards the end of the season, people asked, 'What was your real name again? All I know is 'Nitro'. That's all I know.'"
Nickname or not, being awarded a scholarship was an honor for Ritrovato, but he knows that his job isn't done there.
"Playing sports my whole life, I've always been a guy in a leadership role, someone that took command," said Ritrovato. "I've been pushing myself to push the other guys and really help younger guys. Lead by example, but also be a vocal guy."
Myarick went from walk-on, to Temple's go-to tight end in a few short years. At halftime of Temple's 2017 Spring Game, it was announced that Myarick was awarded a scholarship. Myarick was beyond shocked and elated about the announcement.
"It was a surprise to everyone pretty much. It was really, really exciting. I got a chance to celebrate that with my parents, who were there," Myarick said. "They brought them out onto the field and then they announced it. It was just a great experience."
A collarbone injury in his junior year of high school hurt his chances of getting scholarship offers, as many colleges strayed away from him. Instead of letting that impact him negatively, he used the setback to his advantage.
"It really added fuel to the fire. I still had something to prove," Myarick said. "I still felt like people missed out on what I could do. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to be a preferred walk-on and I tried to prove myself."
After three years of competition between the other tight ends, the announcement was all the more rewarding for him. But Myarick's main goal is like any other player: to make it to the next level.
"Once you get to this level and this late in your college career, you see guys that you came in with have early success with their teams so far in the NFL," Myarick said. "It's an achievable goal so that's really what's motivating me right now."
Now, Myarick went from competing for the starting job to competing to stay in the starting job, and having a full scholarship is going to continue to push him harder.
Jones was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, so he was familiar with Temple and the football program. When it came to deciding where to go for college, scholarship offers or not, Temple was at the top of his list.
"I'm a Philly kid. I've always been around Temple and I've always loved the area. Just being around the facility in high school, actually practicing outside, I got to see the coaches during the summer and what they did," Jones said.
His adjustment from high school to college was "just like any other freshman" and there was really no barrier between him and his teammates.
"The players were always friendly in the program. Everybody was always cool," Jones said.
Jones proved himself, like everyone else, to earn a spot on the team. He started out with the special teams unit and worked his way to playing linebacker during his junior year. That progression, along with his hard work, led up to when he got the news about being awarded a scholarship.
"I had no clue. It was a surprise. When I got it, I was more intrigued by how my teammates rallied around me and how excited they were for me," Jones said. "And then being able to tell my parents that I finally earned one, and then seeing their reaction as well."
For all three walk-ons turned scholarship student-athletes, their mentality on and off the field hasn't changed. Getting a scholarship has only made them work harder. Granted it was anything but easy, the three remain humble, focused, and motivated to prove they deserve what they were given.
"I can't get comfortable. Even though I've earned a scholarship, it doesn't mean I've arrived yet," Myarick said. "I just want to keep getting better, keep making a difference on the team, just keep becoming a bigger part of the offense, keep helping us win games."
The awards were emotional for the players and their families. The scholarship represents their hard work on the field, as well as being dedicated students in the classroom.
It's even tougher when a player is not on scholarship. Not only does he have to balance all of this, but he also is paying for his education.
For walk-on players it can be even harder to see the field and possibly even start in games.
However, three Temple walk-ons: graduate student Todd Jones, graduate student Chris Myarick and redshirt senior Rob Ritrovato, had the burden of paying for college lifted with scholarships.
All three found out in unique ways, but the reaction between the three was the same: joy and elation.
Ritrovato joined Temple football as a walk-on in 2014. He was put on scholarship during Temple's bye week in his redshirt junior year. Ritrovato said being awarded a full scholarship was a big honor, even with the unconventional timing of the award.Â
"It was at 6:15 in the morning at a team meeting. So, eyes were still crusted low," Ritrovato said. "Once I realized what happened, it was a surreal feeling, but at the moment, it was like a confused 'Am I dreaming? Am I still asleep?' kind of deal."
"Nitro" has become an integral part of Temple's running game, but his nickname all started when he was part of the linebacker corps when he first joined the team. Ritrovato got the nickname from his linebackers coach at the time, Mike Siravo.
"Nitro was a competitor on the show 'American Gladiators'. We were in a meeting and he said, 'You look like someone." So, he pulled up the picture and he said, 'That's you. You're Nitro now,'" Ritrovato said.
Needless to say, the nickname stuck pretty quickly.
"Next day, I walk around the building. Coach Rhule walks up to me and says, 'Hey Nitro, how's it going?'" Ritrovato said. "It stuck so well that towards the end of the season, people asked, 'What was your real name again? All I know is 'Nitro'. That's all I know.'"
Nickname or not, being awarded a scholarship was an honor for Ritrovato, but he knows that his job isn't done there.
"Playing sports my whole life, I've always been a guy in a leadership role, someone that took command," said Ritrovato. "I've been pushing myself to push the other guys and really help younger guys. Lead by example, but also be a vocal guy."
Myarick went from walk-on, to Temple's go-to tight end in a few short years. At halftime of Temple's 2017 Spring Game, it was announced that Myarick was awarded a scholarship. Myarick was beyond shocked and elated about the announcement.
"It was a surprise to everyone pretty much. It was really, really exciting. I got a chance to celebrate that with my parents, who were there," Myarick said. "They brought them out onto the field and then they announced it. It was just a great experience."
A collarbone injury in his junior year of high school hurt his chances of getting scholarship offers, as many colleges strayed away from him. Instead of letting that impact him negatively, he used the setback to his advantage.
"It really added fuel to the fire. I still had something to prove," Myarick said. "I still felt like people missed out on what I could do. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to be a preferred walk-on and I tried to prove myself."
After three years of competition between the other tight ends, the announcement was all the more rewarding for him. But Myarick's main goal is like any other player: to make it to the next level.
"Once you get to this level and this late in your college career, you see guys that you came in with have early success with their teams so far in the NFL," Myarick said. "It's an achievable goal so that's really what's motivating me right now."
Now, Myarick went from competing for the starting job to competing to stay in the starting job, and having a full scholarship is going to continue to push him harder.
Jones was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, so he was familiar with Temple and the football program. When it came to deciding where to go for college, scholarship offers or not, Temple was at the top of his list.
"I'm a Philly kid. I've always been around Temple and I've always loved the area. Just being around the facility in high school, actually practicing outside, I got to see the coaches during the summer and what they did," Jones said.
His adjustment from high school to college was "just like any other freshman" and there was really no barrier between him and his teammates.
"The players were always friendly in the program. Everybody was always cool," Jones said.
Jones proved himself, like everyone else, to earn a spot on the team. He started out with the special teams unit and worked his way to playing linebacker during his junior year. That progression, along with his hard work, led up to when he got the news about being awarded a scholarship.
"I had no clue. It was a surprise. When I got it, I was more intrigued by how my teammates rallied around me and how excited they were for me," Jones said. "And then being able to tell my parents that I finally earned one, and then seeing their reaction as well."
For all three walk-ons turned scholarship student-athletes, their mentality on and off the field hasn't changed. Getting a scholarship has only made them work harder. Granted it was anything but easy, the three remain humble, focused, and motivated to prove they deserve what they were given.
"I can't get comfortable. Even though I've earned a scholarship, it doesn't mean I've arrived yet," Myarick said. "I just want to keep getting better, keep making a difference on the team, just keep becoming a bigger part of the offense, keep helping us win games."
The awards were emotional for the players and their families. The scholarship represents their hard work on the field, as well as being dedicated students in the classroom.
The news that the three Owls were getting put on scholarship helped bring the team together and created a memorable experience for each student-athlete, one they will never forget.
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