Happiest Hog?

Ward ‘wasn’t interested’ in other offers

Jeremy Ward (63) delivers a lead block in front of running back Quillen Porter while playing for Pottsville last year. Ward, who will be a freshman offensive lineman for Arkansas this fall and said he grew up a Razorbacks fan, never wavered on his commitment to the Razorbacks, despite receiving scholarship offers from several other schools, including Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State and Arkansas State.

Jeremy Ward (63) delivers a lead block in front of running back Quillen Porter while playing for Pottsville last year. Ward, who will be a freshman offensive lineman for Arkansas this fall and said he grew up a Razorbacks fan, never wavered on his commitment to the Razorbacks, despite receiving scholarship offers from several other schools, including Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State and Arkansas State.

Friday, July 13, 2012

— Jeremy Ward probably has more of an appreciation for being an Arkansas Razorback than the rest of his teammates.

Like a lot of young boys growing up in Arkansas, Ward wanted to be a Razorback from the moment he first picked up a football, but not too long ago the possibility of reaching that goal seemed unlikely for the offensive lineman from Pottsville.

When he was 11, Ward sustained significant brain trauma in an automobile accident. He was transported to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, where he remained in a coma for about a week.

When Ward came out of the coma, he also came away with a new perspective.

“Being that close to death in a situation like that, it would make you appreciate life that much more,” Pottsville Coach Bryan Rust said. “He enjoyed being alive.”

Ward still wanted to be a Razorback, even though it seemed more far-fetched at the time.

By the time he entered the ninth grade, Ward was 6-4 but weighed only about 185 pounds. Still, Rust said he saw something in Ward that made him think he might have a chance.

“He was big-boned,” Rust said of Ward, who is now 6-4 and 290 pounds. “He worked at tight end, and I remember thinking this kid can be really special.

“I didn’t know he would do all it takes to get to next level.”

That’s where the determination that Ward developed while recovering from his accident took over.

“As a player, he really identified goals,” Rust said. “Any time he got involved in anything, he learned how to drive himself and learned how to achieve his goals. His sophomore year he was a long, lanky sucker, but by the next year he was benching 400 pounds. He just kept achieving and getting better.

“He was a really impressive kid as far as his learning curve. He was on honor roll by the end of it. He learned how to be successful throughout the years.”

Pottsville progressed along with Ward, entering into a period of unprecedented success. The Apaches had never won a playoff game before 2010, but they went 20-5-1 over the next two seasons and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state playoffs both years with Ward anchoring the line from his left tackle position.

Pottsville averaged 340.7 rushing yards and 43.7 points a game last year, with quarterback Michael Perry and running back Quwillen Porter rushing for more than 1,000 yards each.

Ward was on the national radar by then, including interest from Alabama and LSU. But he had already committed to Arkansas during his junior season.

Ward said he was in English class in February of his junior year when Bobby Petrino, the Razorbacks’ former coach, and recruiting coordinator Tim Horton called with a scholarship offer.

“I just about passed out,” Ward said. “That’s all I ever wanted, and I committed that weekend.”

Offers from the likes of LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Arkansas State rolled in afterward, but Ward never wavered.

“I grew up as a Razorback fan,” he said. “I had other offers, but I wasn’t interested.”

Ward said he simply continued to work on refining his technique and getting stronger.

“As a ninth-grader he started and he really wasn’t very good, but, man, that guy just bought into hard work,” Pottsville assistant coach Ryan Staggs said. “He would go train at a gym outside of here and really just became a freak.

“He’s a guy that probably could’ve gone anywhere he wanted, but once he committed to Arkansas he was done with it.”

Ward said he will likely slide to guard or center at Arkansas and that he might have to redshirt next season, but wherever he ends up he will bring the same determination he has shown ever since he received a second chance at life.

I’m living the dream now,” he said, “but I can’t take it for granted.”

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/13/2012