Ragin' Cajuns CB Ward using speed to overcome inexperience

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. -- Louisiana cornerback Kyle Ward doesn't fear man-to-man coverage or the crafty moves of opposing receivers. If Ward's instincts aren't enough to handle the job, he figures his speed will compensate. It's always been that way for the Ward, who starts for the Cajuns' football team and is a sprinter and jumper on the track and field team. Ward, who initially went to Alcorn State on a football scholarship, transferred to ULL last year to play football and then got a track scholarship. Now 10 games into his first Division I season, Ward has risen to the top of the Cajuns' depth chart and will start Saturday when ULL travels to Louisiana-Monroe in a Sun Belt Conference game that has championship and bowl game implications. Ward's rise to starter has been sudden, considering he didn't even practice with the Cajuns last year. Then because of his involvement in track, Ward missed all of the 2005 spring training. Despite his inexperience, coverage concerns haven't bothered Ward, who has started UL's last six contests. "It's easy," said Ward, whose brother, B.J. Ward, plays for the Baltimore Ravens, while another brother, Nick Ward, is on the roster of the Arena Football League's Georgia Force. The rest of the story By BOBBY ARDOIN Special to The Advocate

[CajunSailor]

Congrats to Ward and I'm glad he's found a home at Louisiana but our secondary is not playing very well. That is where monroe will come after us. I hope that Ward is ready to step it up as well as his other teammates in the secondary. GEAUX CAJUNS!!! KILL monroe!!!

[RaginFan2]

Congrats to Ward and I'm glad he's found a home at Louisiana but our secondary is not playing very well. That is where monroe will come after us. I hope that Ward is ready to step it up as well as his other teammates in the secondary. GEAUX CAJUNS!!! KILL monroe!!!

I don't think it has been the poor play of the secondary as much as a lack of pressure on the QB. Since our D-line has stepped up the pressure, it seems as though the secondary has "improved". Coincidence? I think not. I do agree that especially early in the season it seems that the secondary had some blown coverages. But when you give the QB all day to stand in the pocket and look for receivers, it makes it that much more difficult for the DB's to maintain their coverage. JMHO

[Pirogue]

[Pirogue]

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