Tavin Ward
Tavin Ward
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. 2 stars out of high school, three seasons of real snaps at South Florida since. One game to point at: 14 tackles against North Texas — Week 7, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- recruiting profile
- game log
Career Arc
Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Alex Golesh.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Brian Hartline
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR06 · Starter
Starter. Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | South Florida | 60 | 33 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | South Florida | 61 | 41 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | -- |
| 2023 | South Florida | 38 | 26 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 2 | -- |
| Career | 159 | 100 | 6.5 | 0.0 | 13 | 6 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 7 · 2025
W 63–36
at North Texas
14 TOT · 12 SOLO
Dominant 27-point win on the road against North Texas.
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
South Florida
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · South Florida
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +10 net (44 in / 34 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
South Florida · Last season: 9-4 (AP #25) · Talent rank #61 · 2026 recruiting class #90
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to M.J. Griffin’s 2024 season.
Matches M.J. on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Anthony Cook's junior season at Texas (2022).
Matches Anthony on
Background
2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference Second Team 2025: Started 10 games at safety and appeared in 11...ranked third on the team with 60 tackles and added 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception...posted eight tackle and a pass break-up in a season-opening win over Boise State (8/28)...logge...