2019 Second Team Preseason All-Southland Conference
Louisiana Sports Writers Association Special Teams Player of the Week (11/19/2018)
2018 HONORABLE MENTION ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
2018 HONORABLE MENTION HERO Sports Freshman All-American
2018 SECOND TEAM All-Louisiana
2018 Phil Steele THIRD TEAM FCS Freshman All-America
2019 Season: Appeared in 12 games, drawing two starts at wide receiver … Demons’ primary kick returner for the second straight season, returning 25 kicks for a 20.6-yard average … hauled in a 39-yard touchdown pass to start the scoring in NSU’s 34-13 win against Lamar on Nov. 9 … returned four kicks for 102 yards, including a season-long 40-yarder at Nicholls on Oct. 12 … recorded a career-high 139 kick return yards on six returns against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 28 … snagged a career-high five passes for 46 yards in the season opener at UT Martin on Aug. 29 … started games against Midwestern State (Sept. 7) and Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 21).
2018 Season: Played all 11 games ... honorable mention on the HERO Sports Freshman All-America team ... was the primary kick returner, returning 28 kicks for a 25.6-yard average ... led the Southland Conference and was 28th in the FCS in kick returning ... LSWA All-Louisiana Second Team pick … Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-America Third Team … honorable mention All-Southland Conference ... sparked a comeback when he returned a kick for a touchdown to start the second half in the win over rival Stephen F. Austin ... that return helped earn him Louisiana Special Teams Player of the Week honors ... returned the opening kickoff 58 yards against nationally ranked Nicholls ... that return was part of his season-high 116 kick return yards ... had a 53-yard return against Central Arkansas ... his 28 kickoff returns is the seventh most in school history.
2017 Season: Redshirted.
High School: Played running back and was an All-Metro New Orleans and all-district selection … as a junior, was an all-district running back who had 68 carries for 846 yards and 13 touchdowns … scored 3 more TDs while catching 9 passes for 158 yards for a state quarterfinalist team that finished 9-2 … as a senior, in a short season, ran 8 times for 97 yards, caught 2 passes for 38 yards… earned all-district honors at cornerback when he made 13 tackles and snatched 3 interceptions as a senior, helping his team go 11-1 and reach the state semifinals … lettered four years in football (coach Ryan Manale) and track (coach Michael Penn), two years in wrestling (coach Rod Cusachs) … De La Salle went 34-14 in his four football seasons, reaching at least the quarterfinal round of the playoffs in his last three … ran on a state champion 4x100 meter relay team as a junior … part of a 4x200 relay team that was third in the state as a sophomore, helped wrestling team finish as state runner-up … … member of the Chess Club and the yearbook staff.
Personal: Son of Joe Ward and Dana Gray…one brother Dylan and four sisters Krystal, Shaniece, Sydney and Taylor … his cousin, Jerome Collins, played on two Super Bowl champion teams, in consecutive years, with the Giants and Colts … business administration major … wants to acquire a stable job to support himself after college .... life’s ambition is to pursue professional football for as long as he can.
Game Highs
RUSHING
Rushing Yards: 2 at Central Arkansas, Oct. 20, 2018
Rushes: 1 at Central Arkansas, Oct. 20, 2018
Longest Rush: 2 at Central Arkansas, Oct. 20, 2018
RECEIVING
Receiving Yards: 39 vs. Lamar, Nov. 9, 2019
Receptions: 5 at UT Martin, Aug. 29, 2019
Longest Reception: 39 (TD) vs. Lamar, Nov. 9, 2019
Receiving Touchdowns: 1 vs. Lamar, Nov. 9, 2019
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kickoff Returns: 4, 2x, last vs. Nicholls, Oct. 6, 2018
Kickoff Return Yards: 116 vs. NIcholls, Oct. 6, 2018
Longest Kickoff Return: 94 (TD) at Stephen F. Austin, Nov. 15, 2018
