2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference Second Team
2025: Started 10 games at safety and appeared in 11...ranked third on the team with 60 tackles and added 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception...posted eight tackle and a pass break-up in a season-opening win over Boise State (8/28)...logged six tackles in a win at No. 13 Florida (9/6)...led USF with 14 tackles (12 solo) in a win at North Texas (10/10)...posted eight tackles at Memphis (10/25)...made six stops and had a tackle for loss and a interception he returned 40 yards at Memphis (10/25)...posted eight tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss at Navy (11/15).
2024: Started all 13 games on the year, one of four Bulls to do so on the year...finished second on the team with 62 total tackles (41 solo) and led the team with three interceptions...added two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and three pass break-ups on the year...had a tackle in every game and four or more in nine...posted three tackles and recovered a fumble at Alabama (9/7)…had four stops vs. Miami (9/21) and six at Tulane (9/28)...grabbed on interception and logged five stops vs. Memphis (10/12)...six stops and a pass break-up vs. UAB (10/19)...had seven tackles and a tackle for loss at FAU (11/1)...had an interception and three tackles vs. Tulsa (11/23)...logged a career-best 10 tackles and an interception he returned 29 yards to set up a touchdown vs. San Jose State (12/24) in a Hawai'i Bowl victory.
2023: Saw action in all 13 games with five starts... finished season with 38 tackles (26 solo), two TFL, eight PBU, and one INT...recorded a career-high eight tackles (five solo) in his first career start vs FAU (10/14)…also posted his first career INT and TFL…Ward registered career-highs in total tackles (nine), solo tackles (seven), and PBU (four) at UTSA (11/17)...vs. Syracuse (12/21) in the Boca Raton Bowl, tallied one solo tackle and one INT.
2022: Redshirt season.Â
NORTH FORT MYERS HS: Had 2,511 all-purpose yards in a versatile four-year career…was first-team All-County and third-team All-State as a senior, when he moved to quarterback and led his team to an 8-0 finish in the COVID season…played cornerback, while also serving as return man on punts and kickoffs…after graduating from North Fort Myers, Ward attended Palmetto Prep in 2021 to keep his recruitment open...had offers from Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Samford, South Alabama, Western Carolina and Youngstown State…clocked at 4.47 in 40-yard dash.
PERSONAL: Named to the Athletics Honor Roll in the spring of 2024 and 2025 and the fall of 2025.
WARD’s CAREER HIGHS:Â
Tackles 14, at North Texas (10/10/25)
TFL 1, (4x) last vs. UTSA (11/6/25)
INT 1 (5x) last vs. UTSA (11/6/25)
PBU 4, at UTSA (11/17/23)
FF 1, vs. Syracuse in Boca Raton Bowl (12/21/23)
FR 1 (2x) last vs. UAB (10/19/24)
WARD'S GAME-BY-GAME
2024Â Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
B-CU (1-1-0); Alabama (3-1-2); Southern Miss (2-2-0); Miami (FL) (4-3-1); Tulane (6-4-2); Memphis (5-1-4); UAB (6-4-2); Florida Atlantic (7-5-2); Navy (5-5-0); Charlotte (4-4-0); Tulsa (3-3-0); Rice (6-4-2); San Jose St. (10-4-6).
2023 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
WKU (1-1-0); FAMU (1-1-0); Alabama (1-1-0); Rice (0-0-0); Navy (1-1-0); UAB (5-3-2); FAU (8-5-3); UCONN (1-0-1); Memphis (3-0-3); Temple (2-0-2); UTSA (9-7-2); Charlotte (5-1-4); Syracuse (1-1-0).
