University of Houston Athletics
Ward Named Athlon Preseason All-American
6/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON â€" One day before leaving for Thibodeaux, La., to serve on the Manning Passing Academy staff, Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. was named a preseason All-American by Athlon Wednesday.
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Named to the outlet's fourth team, Ward enters the 2016 season after claiming the Earl Campbell Award, presented annually to the top player from the state of Texas, last season as he and Clemson's Deshaun Watson were the only two players in the nation to rush for at least 1,000 yards and pass for at least 2,000 yards. He became the first Houston quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, finishing the year with 1,108 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns to go along with 2,828 passing yards with 17 touchdowns.
Ward ranked ninth nationally in completion percentage, completing 232-of-345 passes on the year, while throwing just six interceptions, seventh-best nationally among quarterbacks with at least 300 attempts, and broke the UH single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback of 656 yards set by Lionel Wilson in 1981. The record was one of 14 Houston or The American records broken by Ward last season, while tying three others including the Houston single-season rushing touchdowns record with his 21 scores. He was eighth nationally with 16 rushing attempts of at least 20 yards and nine rushing attempts of at least 30 yards. His 16 rushing attempts of 20+ yards led all FBS quarterbacks, and all players in The American regardless of position.
In addition to Earl Campbell Award winner, Ward was also a Manning Award finalist, The American Championship MVP and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Offensive MVP. Entering 2016, he ranks fourth on the Houston career rushing TDs chart with 29 and ranked fourth nationally in 2015 in percentage of rush plays that gained five or more yards among ball carriers with 150 or more carries (51.4 percent).
He has been responsible for a touchdown, either passing or rushing, in 20 of his last 22 games and won his 19th game as Houston's starting quarterback with the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Florida State, the fifth-best total on the Houston career victory chart. He leads Houston with a .905 (19-2) career winning percentage as a starting quarterback. His 21 rushing TDs in 2015 rank second nationally among all returners behind just the 22 from LSU's Leonard Fournette.
The nation's returning leading rusher among quarterbacks, Ward is one of seven returning Maxwell Award semifinalists, of which he is one of just three quarterbacks on the list.
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