Report: LSU safety Jay Ward reveals intentions for 2022 season

The LSU Tigers will be returning a key part of their defense next season. According to 247Sports’ Shea Dixon, starting safety Jay Ward revealed that he will be returning to LSU for another season rather than turning pro.

Ward just finishes his third season in Baton Rouge. He finished this season with 71 tackles, ranking third on LSU’s defense. Ward also added four pass breakups, one forced fumble, and two interceptions.

In 2019 as a freshman, Ward played sparingly, totaling four tackles and three pass breakups. During the 2020 season, he had 29 tackles with nine pass breakups, one forced fumble, and three interceptions, including one for a touchdown.

Ward held a number of big offers prior to choosing LSU, including Texas, A&M, Ohio State, Florida State, Kentucky, and many others. He was a three-star recruit according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Ward is a key part of LSU’s secondary

In his 33 career games at LSU, Ward has totaled 104 career tackles, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, 18 pass breakups, five interceptions and one touchdown.

The 2021 season was far from smooth for LSU. With a coaching change, injuries, and other struggles, the Tigers battled through a lot of adversity. Ward was LSU’s only defensive player that started both in Week 1 against UCLA and also in the Texas Bowl against Kansas State. LSU lost 42-20 in the Texas Bowl, albeit with an extremely depleted roster that included less than half of the allotted amount of scholarship players.

After losing UCLA in Week 1, LSU rattled off three straight wins. But then, the Tigers lost to Auburn and Kentucky, falling back to .500 at 3-3. LSU then shocked Florida, winning 49-42, but lost its next three games against Ole Miss, Alabama, and Arkansas. The Tigers were 5-6 heading into the last game of the regular season, needing a victory to earn bowl eligibility.

LSU did just that, defeating Texas A&M 27-24, reaching 6-6. Now, after a 6-7 season and a turbulent offseason, LSU looks to improve next season under new head coach Brian Kelly.