Recruiting Areas: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New York (585 area code - Rochester), Utah, Wyoming
Travis Burkett begins his 10th year on the Cornell football coaching staff, his fourth as the team’s assistant head coach and his first working with the defensive secondary. He has also worked with running backs, tight ends, linebackers and the defensive line during his time on East Hill while coordinating the special teams from 2008-12.
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Burkett has served under three Big Red head football coaches and it is obvious why - his positive energy and the relationships he builds with the student-athletes has been important in the locker room, the meeting room, and on the field. He has worked with players on offense, defense and special teams and understands all three Big Red systems.
Burkett's defensive line group was one of the youngest position units in the Ivy League. Of the top six defensive linemen in tackles in 2015, two were sophormores, one was a freshman and two other were juniors seeing their first significant varsity snaps. JJ Fives, who served as a down lineman in Cornell's 3-4 defensive system, ranked among the Ivy League leaders in sacks and tackles for loss and earned second-team All-Ivy accolades.
Five freshmen and four sophomores saw significant action on the defensive line in 2014, helping the Big Red boost its sack total by nearly 25 percent over the previous year. The Big Red defense, thanks in large part to the pressure the defensive line put on opponents, led the Ancient Eight in takeaways (19).
In 2013, Burkett helped a young defensive unit to vast improvements over the second half of the season. In its final two games, both wins, Cornell opponents averaged just 329.5 yards per game, including just 106 total rushing yards on 47 carries (2.3 yards per carry) to signal massive improvements in those categories. In his final season, Kevin Marchand had a monster year with 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles, while three freshmen saw time in the regular rotation.
A tireless recruiter, he has worked his varied areas and especially mined California for many of the Big Red's top players while playing a large role in Cornell's successful classes since joining the staff. Included among these recruits is 2011 Bushnell Cup Award winner and two-time All-American Jeff Mathews. Burkett has also developed many others including two-time All-Ivy League linebacker Brett Buehler.
During Burkett’s five seasons as the special teams coordinator he oversaw one of the top units in the league. He coached three first-team All-Ivy League specialists (a punter, kicker, and returner) including Brad Greenway, the school's career scoring leader as a kicker. In addition, Burkett mentored current Seattle Seahawk and Super Bowl XLVIII champion Bryan Walters ’10, the conference and school’s all-time kick and punt return yardage leader who finished his career at Cornell second all-time in the Ivy League all-purpose yardage list with 5,795 total yards. Burkett helped to coach and develop three-year punt and kick returner Luke Tasker ’13, now a member of the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The Big Red's 2011 campaign saw Greenway (place-kicker) and Rashad Campbell (return specialist) each earn first-team All-Ivy honors for their play on special teams. Greenway was a finalist for the Ray Mitchell Award and became the school's career leader in kick scoring, field goals, and extra points, while becoming the first player in school history to lead the team in scoring four straight years. Campbell set a Cornell record for kick return yards in a season.
In 2010, punter Drew Alston earned first-team All-Ivy honors, Greenway moved into the top 10 all-time at Cornell in scoring and the punt unit ranked first in the Ivy League in net punting.
The 2009 season again saw the Big Red rank among the top special teams groups in the country. Cornell led the nation in punt return yardage defense (1.88 yards per return) and ranked 10th in kickoff return yardage defense (17.52 yards per return). Walters established Ivy League career records for both kickoff and punt return yardage as well en route to earning second-team All-Ivy honors as a return specialist. Punter Drew Alston earned his first All-Ivy accolade as an honorable mention pick.
In 2008, Walters led the Ivy League in all-purpose yardage while ranking among the conference leaders in both punt and kick returns. He became the conference's all-time leader in kick return yardage and moved into the top 10 all-time in punt return yardage during the season. Additionally, both Greenway and punter Nick Maxwell ranked among the Ancient Eight leaders in their respective categories.
Despite losing All-Ivy running back Luke Siwula three games into the 2007 season, Burkett’s charges ended the year with 12 rushing scores and a 4.2 yard per carry average. Sophomore Randy Barbour rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns on 32 attempts in a victory vs. Brown while tying for the team lead with six rushing touchdowns.
Before arriving at Cornell, Burkett spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach working on defense at Bucknell University while earning his Masters of Science in Education (Instructional Specialist) in May of 2007.
Prior to his time at Bucknell, Burkett worked as an assistant coach and special teams coordinator at San Luis Obispo HS helping to guide his high school alma mater to a record of 18-5 over the 2003 and 2004 seasons. In between he played linebacker and defensive end for the Bergamo Lions in Italy where he helped them to an Italian Superbowl Championship and EuroBowl runner-up finish during the 2004 season.
A 2002 graduate of Saint Mary’s (CA) with an undergraduate degree in history, Burkett also garnered his California Teaching Credential while he played linebacker for the Gaels from 1998-2002. In his fifth year he was voted the team’s Most Inspirational Player while being recognized as a second team Verizon Academic All-District VIII honors.
Burkett and his wife Genevieve reside in Ithaca. They have an infant daughter, Milana.
*Updated April 2016
