Oklahoma State University Athletics
Catching Up With Bryant Ward
December 29, 2007 | Cowboy Football
TEMPE, Ariz. – After Friday's practice at Corona Del Sol High School in Tempe, okstate.com caught up with Cowboy Bryant Ward to see how his first year at Oklahoma State was going. Ward is listed as a fullback but has played on kickoff coverage in all 12 of OSU's games this season and recorded seven tackles. Here's what the freshman walk-on from Stillwater had to say about his early OSU football career:
On how he ended up walking on at Oklahoma State:
“I had some smaller places recruiting me, but OSU is close to home and I had a scholarship to pay for school. My grandpa and my mom and dad went to school here so I decided I might as well. I had some friends whose dads were coaches, and they told me I could get on.”
On growing up wanting to be a Cowboy:
“I didn't really care where I went, but I always knew I wanted to play college football and I liked the Cowboys. It's worked out better than I ever thought it would.”
On coming in as a walk-on and playing on special teams as a freshman:
“I didn't expect it at all. People told me that if I worked hard that I could eventually play. I thought I'd see how it worked out, but I didn't really believe them.
“But I came in and the coaches are really cool towards walk-ons, which I didn't think would happen. All the players are really cool towards walk-ons, everyone is. They all support us. I was kind of amazed.”
On what it's like playing on special teams:
“It's fun. I got yelled at a lot because I didn't know what I was doing yet. I had to pick up the pace with everyone else. I didn't know if I'd be fast enough, but it turns out I'm fine. You've just got to go as fast and as hard as you can every time.
“It's a lot different than high school — a lot harder and a lot more of a challenge.”
On playing on the scout teams and his desire to hit people: “Every time there's a fullback, they use me. Or sometimes they
use me at tight end. It's fun. “I play football to hit people. People are always like, ‘Don't hit so hard,' but that's what I enjoy.”
On his future:
“Coach (Curtis) Luper talked to me and said next year I might get in some jumbo packages at fullback so I needed to gain some weight.”
On his Insight Bowl experience:
“Arizona is a nice place. I like the scenery, and the weather is nice. We've been off more. Usually when we go to games, we don't have any time to ourselves so it's been a fun experience. We're really looking forward to the game and getting it won.”
