LSU nickelback Jay Ward lunged forward, batting down a low bullet of a pass that Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers intended for wide receiver Austin Williams. He rolled over, picked up the ball and held it high in the air as he jogged to the sideline.
Ward’s evening against Mississippi State was already a big one, leading the team with 10 total tackles — including five solo and 1.5 for loss. He finished with one more tackle and an interception before the night was through in LSU's 31-16 victory Saturday against the Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium.
Ward initially started the year as a free safety, and while he had five tackles in the first game against Florida State, he also missed three, according to Pro Football Focus. LSU coach Brian Kelly moved him to the nickel position for the Southern game, where his coverage improved.
"One of the things we were concerned about was the ball getting outside," Kelly said. "But he was all over the place, and just the position itself where he can be involved in the physicality instead of being a deep player in the middle of the field — that's really the difference in where he is now."
And whether it was stopping the run, or limiting the yards gained on a pass, Ward was proving that to be true.
Defending the Air Raid is a lot like running it: You have to fight for every blade of grass.
Rogers came into the game attempting the most passes in the nation, leading it with a 78.6 completion percentage and No. 5 in passing yards through the first two games (770).
Through the first half against LSU, Rogers had completed 13 of 19 pass attempts, averaging 8.3 yards per completion. Passing to players in space on those out routes or hitch routes on the edges wasn’t working against Ward. Rogers finished completing just 57% of his 47 pass attempts, averaging 8.9 yards per completion.
Three of Rogers’ passes in the first quarter went for a total of 1 positive yard thanks to Ward. The fourth was a 4-yard gain.
"They weren't gonna block me at all, so I knew I could bully them in some situations," Ward said.
In the run game, Ward came off the edge to tackle Simeon Price for a 3-yard loss on a first-down play in the second quarter.
He came back in the third, diving at the knees of running back Dillon Johnson, flopping him on the ground for a 1-yard loss, and dancing and bobbing his head in celebration.
"I feel like I'm more free at nickel," Ward said. "And I can be in the run game, which played a big impact tonight."
Then came the pass breakup.
Ward is known for his versatility as a defensive back with experience at both the safety and cornerback positions, starting seven games at safety, two at corner and one at dime last year to finish with 71 tackles, the third most on the team.
While the senior hasn’t always been a starter, he’s always made an impact. In his nine games as a sophomore, Ward had six pass breakups and three interceptions in addition to his 29 tackles.
He played in 13 games as a true freshman during the 2019 national championship season, tallying two pass breakups against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff.
"We know he's a playmaker," defensive end Ali Gaye said. "He can fly around wherever you put him on the field. That's Jay Ward, wherever the ball is, he's there."
With just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs were entering field-goal range, down 31-16 with three minutes left. Rogers fired a pass up the middle.
Ward leaped, capturing the ball and bringing it to his chest, sealing the victory for the Tigers.
"I just see the ball, and I knew I had to grab one for the night because I missed the last one," Ward said.
"fit" - Google News
September 18, 2022 at 10:03AM
https://ift.tt/1mKerBu
LSU's Jay Ward emerges as 'natural' fit at nickel against Mississippi State - NOLA.com
"fit" - Google News
https://ift.tt/nMFa5wB
https://ift.tt/ysDzQ0c
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "LSU's Jay Ward emerges as 'natural' fit at nickel against Mississippi State - NOLA.com"
Post a Comment