Ready to Make More Highlights
Aug 15, 2023 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
We haven't yet seen Treshaun Ward carry the football in a Kansas State uniform. Oh, his highlights are out there. There he is, bouncing outside against LSU, picking up eight yards after first contact. There he is, darting through the middle of the offensive line and dashing 46 yards against Louisville. And there he is, moving the pile against Boston College.
Over and over, the highlights roll on, and it becomes easy to see why the 5-foot-10, 194-pound transfer from Florida State is the fifth-rated transfer running back this season by 247Sports, and it becomes easy to see why he entered the 2022 season as the Seminoles' top option in a three-man running back rotation, and it becomes easy to see why K-State quarterback Will Howard says, "I love Treshaun."
"He can make some pretty dirty cuts," Howard says.
"You see his change of direction and burst and speed off the edge," K-State running backs coach Brian Anderson says.
"The kid is a special talent," K-State head coach Chris Klieman says.
"The first thing that comes to mind?" tight end Ben Sinnott says. "How quick he is."
No, we haven't yet seen Ward in action in a K-State uniform, but the highly-touted transfer and 2023 Doak Walker Award watch list member carries a reputation for dancing around and over and past opponents. Last season, Ward led Florida State in rushing in four of its first five games before an apparent collarbone injury caused him to miss three games. He had 126 yards against Louisville. He had 81 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl. He finished second on the team with 95 carries for 648 yards and seven touchdowns en route to All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades.
In 2021, he had 515 rushing yards and four touchdowns — his 6.36 yards per rushing attempt led all ACC rushers with at least four carries per game — to go along with 21 catches for 185 yards and one touchdown. And did we mention that Ward arrived at Florida State in 2019 as a walk-on after decommitting from Maryland?
"It made me play with a chip on my shoulder," he says. "It made me hungrier."
Sounds like the perfect fit for K-State.
There was plenty of highlight film for coaches to observe when Ward chose to transfer from Florida State on January 3. He transferred to K-State on January 10.
"From walk-on to star, I'm grateful for every moment," Florida State head coach Mike Norvell tweeted on January 3. "He has a wonderful future in front of him, and I know he will continue to work and keep climbing."
Which brings us to our first interaction with Ward after practice on Monday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Here it is, a beautiful day in Manhattan with temperatures in the low 70s, unseasonably mild for the middle of August, as Ward speaks with reporters for the first time.
Ward's main goal this season is anything but mild.
"I just want to do my part," he says. "That can be anything, just playing my role and getting to the Big 12 Championship again and making history. There hasn't been a team at Kansas State that's gone back-to-back, so we're trying to do that this year."
It's been quite a road since Ward arrived in Manhattan. He injured his left hand shortly after the start of spring workouts, requiring surgery. Even so, Klein says, "Shoot, he was catching in a cast in the spring."
As for Klieman's biggest piece of advice for Ward?
"Not to be Deuce Vaughn and to be Treshaun Ward, for starters" Klieman says.
Seems that Ward could be quickly carving out his own identity.
"He's a really hard worker," Klein says. "He's kind of quiet and laid back, but he's processing and working through things, and his short-area quickness is really good. I mean, his start and stop in a small box is really good. In the spring, his hand was a little dinged, so I'd say what's newest on that part is his ball skills.
"He really catches the ball well and has proven that in camp."
Ward is expected to share the load with 6-foot-1, 212-pound DJ Giddens, who heads into his sophomore season carrying a reputation for making his presence felt all over the field. Giddens saw action in every game last season and finished third with 518 rushing yards and six touchdowns while earning votes from the league's coaches for the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award.
"He's athletic, fast, a stocky guy and one of those guys who's quiet, but he's going to do his work, and I like that about him," Ward says. "He's going to know everything about the playbook. You ask him a question and he's going to know the answer."
Coming off the departure of Deuce Vaughn to the NFL, Ward and Giddens could surprise folks around the Big 12 in the fall.
"I can't wait to see Treshaun in action along with DJ," K-State sixth-year senior wide receiver Phillip Brooks says. "This pairing will make us really successful in the running game this year."
The days continue to tick down until K-State opens its season against SEMO on September 2. The days tick down before the defending Big 12 Champions take finally take the field. The days tick down before Ward makes his official debut with the Wildcats. And yes, the days tick down before Ward might ignite the crowd at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
"We can be really explosive," Ward says.
The days tick down until Ward makes more highlights.
We haven't yet seen Treshaun Ward carry the football in a Kansas State uniform. Oh, his highlights are out there. There he is, bouncing outside against LSU, picking up eight yards after first contact. There he is, darting through the middle of the offensive line and dashing 46 yards against Louisville. And there he is, moving the pile against Boston College.
Over and over, the highlights roll on, and it becomes easy to see why the 5-foot-10, 194-pound transfer from Florida State is the fifth-rated transfer running back this season by 247Sports, and it becomes easy to see why he entered the 2022 season as the Seminoles' top option in a three-man running back rotation, and it becomes easy to see why K-State quarterback Will Howard says, "I love Treshaun."
"He can make some pretty dirty cuts," Howard says.
"You see his change of direction and burst and speed off the edge," K-State running backs coach Brian Anderson says.
"The kid is a special talent," K-State head coach Chris Klieman says.
"The first thing that comes to mind?" tight end Ben Sinnott says. "How quick he is."
No, we haven't yet seen Ward in action in a K-State uniform, but the highly-touted transfer and 2023 Doak Walker Award watch list member carries a reputation for dancing around and over and past opponents. Last season, Ward led Florida State in rushing in four of its first five games before an apparent collarbone injury caused him to miss three games. He had 126 yards against Louisville. He had 81 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl. He finished second on the team with 95 carries for 648 yards and seven touchdowns en route to All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades.
In 2021, he had 515 rushing yards and four touchdowns — his 6.36 yards per rushing attempt led all ACC rushers with at least four carries per game — to go along with 21 catches for 185 yards and one touchdown. And did we mention that Ward arrived at Florida State in 2019 as a walk-on after decommitting from Maryland?
"It made me play with a chip on my shoulder," he says. "It made me hungrier."
Sounds like the perfect fit for K-State.
There was plenty of highlight film for coaches to observe when Ward chose to transfer from Florida State on January 3. He transferred to K-State on January 10.
"From walk-on to star, I'm grateful for every moment," Florida State head coach Mike Norvell tweeted on January 3. "He has a wonderful future in front of him, and I know he will continue to work and keep climbing."
Which brings us to our first interaction with Ward after practice on Monday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Here it is, a beautiful day in Manhattan with temperatures in the low 70s, unseasonably mild for the middle of August, as Ward speaks with reporters for the first time.
Ward's main goal this season is anything but mild.
"I just want to do my part," he says. "That can be anything, just playing my role and getting to the Big 12 Championship again and making history. There hasn't been a team at Kansas State that's gone back-to-back, so we're trying to do that this year."
It's been quite a road since Ward arrived in Manhattan. He injured his left hand shortly after the start of spring workouts, requiring surgery. Even so, Klein says, "Shoot, he was catching in a cast in the spring."
As for Klieman's biggest piece of advice for Ward?
"Not to be Deuce Vaughn and to be Treshaun Ward, for starters" Klieman says.
Seems that Ward could be quickly carving out his own identity.
"He's a really hard worker," Klein says. "He's kind of quiet and laid back, but he's processing and working through things, and his short-area quickness is really good. I mean, his start and stop in a small box is really good. In the spring, his hand was a little dinged, so I'd say what's newest on that part is his ball skills.
"He really catches the ball well and has proven that in camp."
Ward is expected to share the load with 6-foot-1, 212-pound DJ Giddens, who heads into his sophomore season carrying a reputation for making his presence felt all over the field. Giddens saw action in every game last season and finished third with 518 rushing yards and six touchdowns while earning votes from the league's coaches for the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award.
"He's athletic, fast, a stocky guy and one of those guys who's quiet, but he's going to do his work, and I like that about him," Ward says. "He's going to know everything about the playbook. You ask him a question and he's going to know the answer."
Coming off the departure of Deuce Vaughn to the NFL, Ward and Giddens could surprise folks around the Big 12 in the fall.
"I can't wait to see Treshaun in action along with DJ," K-State sixth-year senior wide receiver Phillip Brooks says. "This pairing will make us really successful in the running game this year."
The days continue to tick down until K-State opens its season against SEMO on September 2. The days tick down before the defending Big 12 Champions take finally take the field. The days tick down before Ward makes his official debut with the Wildcats. And yes, the days tick down before Ward might ignite the crowd at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
"We can be really explosive," Ward says.
The days tick down until Ward makes more highlights.
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