Hawk-Item – – One of two sophomores named to 2014 Leadership Group . . . one of two redshirt freshmen named to 2013 Leadership Group.
2016 Honors – – Forest Evashevski Scholastic Achievement Award . . . Coaches Appreciation Award, offense . . . Academic All-Big Ten for second year . . . 2016 – – Saw action in five games . . . did not see action in 45-21 win over Miami . . . saw action in 42-3 win over Iowa State as offense gained 435 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 23-21 loss to North Dakota State . . . did not see action in 14-7 win at Rutgers . . . did not see action in 38-31 loss to Northwestern . . . did not see action in 14-7 win at Minnesota . . . saw action in 49-35 win at Purdue as offense rushed for 365 net rushing yards and gained 520 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 17-9 loss to #10 Wisconsin . . . did not see action in 41-14 loss at #12 Penn State . . . did not see action in 14-13 win over #2 Michigan . . . saw action in 28-0 win at Illinois as offense rushed for 262 yards and gained 342 yards total offense . . . saw action in 40-10 win over #15 Nebraska as offense rushed for 264 net yards and gained 408 yards total offense . . . saw action in 30-3 Outback Bowl loss to #17 Florida.
2015 – – Saw action in 31-14 win over Illinois State as offense gained 431 yards total offense and allowed no sacks . . . did not see action in 31-17 win at Iowa State . . . did not see action in 27-24 win over Pitt . . . saw action in 62-16 win over North texas as offense gained 488 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 10-6 win at Wisconsin . . . did not see action in 29-20 win over Illinois . . . saw action in 40-10 win at Northwestern as offense rushed for 294 yards and gained 492 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 31-15 win over Maryland . . . did not see action in 35-27 win at Indiana . . . did not see action in 40-35 win over Minnesota . . . did not see action in 40-20 win over Purdue . . . did not see action in 28-20 win at Nebraska . . . did not see action in 16-13 loss to Michigan State . . . did not see action in 45-16 Rose Bowl loss to Stanford.
2014 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten . . .2014 – – Saw action in 31-23 win over Northern Iowa as offense gained 401 yards total offense . . . saw action in 17-13 win over Ball State as offense gained 455 yards total offense . . . saw action in 20-17 loss to Iowa State . . . saw action in 24-20 win at Pittsburgh . . . saw action in 24-10 win at Purdue as offense gained 420 yards total offense . . . saw action in 45-29 win over Indiana as offense gained 426 yards total offense . . . saw action in 38-31 loss at Maryland as offense gained 433 yards total offense . . . saw action in 51-14 loss at Minnesota . . . saw action in 30-14 win at Illinois as offense rushed for 304 yards and gained 587 yards total offense . . . saw action in 26-24 loss to No. 14 Wisconsin as offense gained 412 yards total offense against top-ranked defense in the nation . . . saw action in 37-34 overtime loss to Nebraska . . . did not see action in 45-28 TaxSlayer Bowl loss to Tennessee.
2013 – – Saw action on offensive line in three games . . . saw first career action in 59-3 win over Western Michigan as offense gained 446 yards total offense and rushed for over 200 yards in fourth straight game . . . saw action in 38-14 win at Purdue as offense rushed for 318 yards and gained 509 yards total offense . . . saw action at right tackle in 38-17 win at Nebraska.
2012 – – Redshirted.
High school honors – – Named an Army All-American . . . first team all-state, all-conference and all-area as a senior . . . Career – – Four-year letterman as offensive lineman . . . helped prep team to state playoffs as sophomore and senior, including state runner-up finish as a sophomore . . . team captain as a senior . . . two-year wrestling letterman.
Personal – – Born 8/07/93 . . . human physiology major . . . Illinois Coaches Association Academic All-State . . . member of National Honor Society . . . AP Scholar . . . member of prep High Honor roll . . . parents are Laurel and Brian Ward . . . his father, Brian, played college football at Illinois . . . brother of Iowa DB Kevin Ward . . . one of five sets of brothers on the Iowa roster . . . one of three players from Homer Glen on the Iowa roster . . . attended same high school as TE Nate Vejvoda and OLB Kevin Ward . . . high school coach was Mark Coglianese.