Oklahoma State University Athletics
Bryant Ward: From Walk-On to All-League
September 08, 2010 | Cowboy Football
Sept. 8, 2010
Most athletes who decide to walk-on to a major Division I program realize that they are just practice players and won't see the playing field that often.
But Bryant Ward's story is different.
Ward walked onto the Oklahoma State football team in 2007 as a freshman. Ward, a native of Stillwater, had always been a fan of Cowboy football and deciding to walk on to the
team was an easy decision.
“I didn't get many offers during high school,” Ward said. “I knew this was a great program, and that it was on the rise. I had heard that head strength-and-conditioning coach Rob Glass was a great strength coach. I knew that this was going to be one of the best places in the country to come to and since I already lived here and liked OSU, I thought it was a good fit.”
Joining a new team is always hard at first, especially when you don't know anyone. But Ward was joining as a walk-on, which gave him more challenges to face.
“I came in the first day of two-a-days and team camp, and I didn't know a single person,” Ward said. “Actually on the first night I went and hung out with the linemen and from
there I have just tried to work as hard as I could every day with everything I do. I worked out more and pushed myself harder.”
His hard work paid off. In August 2009, Ward received a scholarship.
“It's like all these little steps that I have gone through in my life, like starting as a walk-on, getting the first starting position and then getting the scholarship, led to this great feeling,” he said. “I called everyone, my mom was crying. It was a good deal.”
While Ward is listed as a running back, he received All-Big 12 Conference First Team honors as fullback in 2009 and is also very active on special teams. As a freshman, he played in all 13 games and finished the season with nine tackles, and seven solo stops.
“That was really exciting,” he said. “I remember it was like two weeks in, and I got on the starting kickoff team. I was so excited. I told my parents and then they told everyone else. Being able to play in every game was awesome. It's not the biggest role, but even something small like that and getting to be in every game was amazing.”
In 2008, Ward was credited with six special teams tackles. He only had one carry, but he made it count. Off a one-yard carry, Ward scored his first-career touchdown against Iowa State.
“My favorite moment was my touchdown,” Ward said. “That was by far the best. It was such a good feeling to be able to get it into the end zone. I wasn't sure if I ever was going to get the chance, but when they called my number my adrenaline started pumping. It was a fourth down and when I got into the end zone it was just a great feeling.”
After racking up nine tackles, including seven solo stops, last season and establishing himself as a standout blocker, Ward is looking forward to his final collegiate season.
“No one really knows what is going to happen. It's all up in the air,” Ward said. “You always look forward to a good season, especially because it is my senior year.”
Although he has set goals for himself individually, a few moments this coming season will definitely stick out.
“We sat down and picked out team goals individually that we think the team should have,” Ward said. “I would definitely like to beat OU and Texas. I have not done that yet,
and it's my senior year.”
As a senior and established veteran, Ward has taken on a new role as a leader on the team, an opportunity he relishes.
“I have definitely tried to instill leadership, but my leadership is a little harsher than what most people like,” Ward said. “Stepping up and trying to be a leader isn't always fun, but during the toughest time you can't just lay down and quit, you have to be the guy who gets everyone else fired up and gets everyone else up off their knees.”
