McAdams’ Li’karius Ward won’t be the biggest player on the field, standing only 5-foot-6 and weighing 165 pounds. He probably won’t be the strongest person on the field, nor the fastest.
But there’s no doubt in coach Kenneth Nelson’s mind that Ward will be the hardest worker, making him the latest addition to the Star-Herald’s Eleven Players to Watch for the upcoming football season. Those on the list already announced are: Antonio Harmon and Devonte’ Ellis of Kosciusko, Percy Lewis of McAdams, Izik Stewart of Ethel, Thomas Costilow of Winona Christian School, and Wykece Johnson of Central Holmes Christian School.
Ward, also known as Bubba around the McAdams’ campus, has already made his presence known with Nelson, who takes over for Jim Risen, who guided the Bulldogs to back-to-back playoff appearances.
“He is a hard worker, he’s the hardest worker on the team,” Nelson said. “He’s going to be a senior next year. He has really taken on that leadership role of putting the team on his back. I remember a couple of years ago, we had a kid that was small and undersized but was going to work his butt off. He’s not going to be the strongest but he was going to be the hardest working kid on the field and Bubba reminds me of that kid. Bubba will be the heart and soul of the team. He had chances to leave but he stayed and is working hard.”
Nelson already has big plans for Ward this season on both sides of the football. Last year, Ward ran for 327 yards on 49 carries from the fullback position and piling up 58 tackles on defense and caused two fumbles.
With Kris Brown transferring to Kosciusko, Ward is now being moved to tailback for the Bulldogs.
“He is a true team player,” Nelson said. “He’s going to go wherever you need him to play, that’s what he wants to do. No matter what say, even if it’s go take some snaps at quarterback, he’s going to do it. Whatever that assignment is, he is going to carry that assignment out.”
That assignment this season appears to have Ward with the football in his hands. Not only will Ward play on both sides of the football, he will handle most of the Bulldogs’ kicking duties.
“He is going to tote the rock for us on offense,” Nelson said. “He’s going to be our feature back on offense. He played more fullback last year. But with Kris Brown gone, he’s going to have to step up and be that feature back. He’s a senior and my philosophy is that seniors win ball games. He will also be the punter and field goal kicker. He will also kickoff. But he will start off on day one as our feature back.”
Nelson said he sees Ward as the feature back of the power-rushing attack.
“I’m more of a two-back guy with one tight end,” Nelson said. “We will be more of an off-set I formation with an H-back. We have two pretty big H-backs who are big and athletic to play that position so we think with Bubba back there, we will have a pretty effective running game. We honestly project him to a be a 1,000-yard rusher if he stays healthy.”
Ward said he hopes to get a scholarship and continue to play football at the next level but said if that doesn’t happen, he’ll like attend junior college and go into a trade such as welding. But Nelson said Ward still has college possibilities.
““I think he can play somewhere,” Nelson said. “I think he would be a defensive player or special teams guy at the next level. I think if he can put some numbers up on defense, he might get some looks from the junior colleges. He’s not as fast, he’s not a burner. If he is going to make it on the next level, it’s probably on defense, maybe at a safety or outside linebacker. He’s like a 4.6 kind of guy. I could see somewhere like Miles or Belhaven taking a chance on him. I think with his work ethic, he could get a shot at a place like that. There are places for him to play if he really wants to play college football.”
Nelson said Ward is a leader on and off the field for the Bulldogs.
“He is one of our team leaders,” Nelson said. "He has been a good team leader. His dad just died at the end of May. He is a reliant kid and he hasn’t shown any signs of that getting to him. It doesn’t make his work ethic falter. I think the only time he has missed is because his lights were off because of a big storm that came through. He’s one of the men of the house and that carries over to football. He’s not going to miss any workouts.”
When he’s not at football, Ward said he is either working with his mother or doing country boy things like riding four-wheelers, hunting or fishing.
“I like to hunt and fish,” Ward said. “I killed one deer last year but it just seemed like they weren’t coming out. I have a pond behind my house so when I get a chance, I go back there and fish and just chill out.”
Ward said it doesn’t matter where he plays or what his role is for the Bulldogs this season.
“I’ll play wherever coach tells me to go,” Ward said. “Whatever it takes, tailback, fullback, whatever. I like offense a little better because I like the ball in my hands. Kris isn’t here this year, so it’s my time to be a leader on offense. We have to stay focused and do what the coaches tell us to do. We have to continue to work hard and just do what the coaches tell us to do.”
