Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-14vs Miami (OH) | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 12-7vs UCF | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | 0 |
#31
Demarco Ward
Senior linebacker for Pittsburgh. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 230 lb · Duluth, GA · Duluth
CFB Index 52 · #276 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Memphis → Pittsburgh for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
8
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 0.5 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1 TFL, 0.5 sacks, vs UCF
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Pittsburgh. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Florida State in 2023.
- Transferred from Memphis to Pittsburgh in 2026.
Demarco Ward
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Across three seasons and three programs, three head coaches: Mike Norvell, Ryan Silverfield and Pat Narduzzi. The receipt on tape: 5 tackles against Miami (OH), Week 1, 2026.
8 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Florida State3-star out of Duluth
202510 games
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Pittsburgh
Played his entire career under Pat Narduzzi.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Pittsburgh
2025Memphis
2026Pittsburgh
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Florida State2-10HC: Mike Norvell · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Memphis8-5HC: Ryan Silverfield · Run-leaning
2026Pittsburgh2-0HC: Pat Narduzzi · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceBreakout
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.2 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Pat Narduzzi
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
52 · #276 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #276 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Pittsburgh | 8 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Memphis | 50 | 33 | 3.0 | 0.0 | -- | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Florida State | 9 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 67 | 40 | 4.5 | 0.5 | -- | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 12–7
vs UCF
3 TOT · 1 SOLO · 0 SACKS
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 5 at home.
With G. Russo — 40 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 51 LONG · M. Heintschel — 212 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 44.1 · 13 rush yds (7 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Ethan Powell’s 2025 season.
Matches Ethan on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Ethan on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Kyland Reed's sophomore season at Baylor (2025).
Matches Kyland on
Solo tackle rate
PD rate
Hurry rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Demarco Ward
Background
Enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh in January 2026 following his transfer from Memphis. MEMPHIS (2025): Played in 11 games at linebacker, accumulating 55 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and a forced fumble in his first season with the Tigers…had a 31-yard interception retur...
The linebacker corps · Pittsburgh
- Braylan Lovelace79 tackles · 2025
- #31Demarco Ward50 tackles · 2025
- #10Alex Sanford Jr.47 tackles · 2025
- #24Cameron Lindsey32 tackles · 2025
- #52Abe Ibrahim16 tackles · 2025
9 more on the roster · Pittsburgh team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology