He played professionally in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and later coached at the NCAA Division I level for the University of Idaho.

[2] A point guard, Jarvis played collegiately at Oregon State University in Corvallis, where he helped the Beavers win the NCAA West Regional championship in 1963 and earn their first Final Four appearance.

[5] Jarvis was selected by the San Francisco Warriors of the National Basketball Association in the sixth round (45th overall) of the 1965 NBA draft, but was cut by the team.

Jarvis never played in the NBA, but did spend three seasons in the ABA as a member of the Pittsburgh / Minnesota Pipers and Los Angeles Stars.

[9][13][14] Jarvis was succeeded in August by Idaho alumnus Don Monson,[11] who had significantly greater success, taking the Vandals to consecutive conference titles in 1981 and 1982, a top ten ranking, and advancement to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.