Rider receiver switches commitment from OU to Tech

BY DON WILLIAMS
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Eric Ward insists he didn’t know before last weekend that he’d be enrolling at Texas Tech and taking his first college class on Tuesday. The wide receiver from Wichita Falls Rider had been committed to Oklahoma since last spring.

Ward’s change of heart and willingness to act on it was a whirlwind development, and he said Tech special teams coach Clay McGuire should get the credit.

“He stayed with it,’’ Ward said. “There were times I was very strong with Oklahoma. He thought, ‘This guy’s too good not to have.’ I really give him the appreciation, because he tried really hard and it paid off.’’

Ward’s switch to Texas Tech was a recruiting coup for a Red Raiders offense that just lost prolific pass catcher Mike Crabtree. Ward, who measured at 6-foot and weighed 195 pounds on his visit, said Tech coaches project him as an “H’’ inside receiver.

Two factors could help his development: that he’s already enrolled and thus able to participate in spring practice, and the similarity of Tech’s offense to Rider’s.

“It’s exactly the same,’’ he said. “That puts me a little bit ahead of the game, coming in as a freshman.’’

Ward finished his three-year varsity career with 123 catches for 2,127 yards and 24 touchdowns. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch.

And he was considered one of the top recruits for Oklahoma, which lost in the national championship game.

But Tech talked Ward into visiting campus over the weekend. Ward said he arrived on Friday, went back home to get his belongings on Saturday and returned Sunday prepared to enroll at Tech.

“It just happened so fast,’’ Ward said. “It just happened this weekend. I had never been on a visit (to Tech). Coach McGuire wanted me. He said, ‘The least you can do is take a visit. You don’t know what you might miss out on.’ I liked the atmosphere. The people are like family.

“I just felt more comfortable here and felt like I could be a good fit here.’’

The Sooner coaches’ reaction?

“They were (angry),’’ Ward said. “But men make their own decisions, and I followed my instincts.’’

In addition to Tech and OU, Ward said at one time or another he had scholarship offers from Southern Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Michigan. The offers from USC and Michigan came during his junior year, Ward said, and he said they backed off when he didn’t reciprocate the interest.

Rider went 12-2 during Ward’s junior season. He helped show the way with 55 receptions for 1,082 yards and 15 touchdowns. His numbers weren’t as shiny this season — 46 catches for 737 yards and five TDs — but he still was the District 5-4A most valuable player and was named MVP of the Wichita Falls Times Record News’ Large School Red River 22, an all-area team.

Rider lost its returning quarterback — Tulsa pledge Shavodrick Beaver — to a shoulder injury after four games, which Ward cited as the reason for his dropoff statistically.

Ward is a Los Angeles native who moved with his family to Wichita Falls at age 9.

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