Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 19-9vs Florida International | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 28-24@ Army | 6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Total | 11 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
#2
Tavin Ward
Graduate safety for South Florida. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 197 lb · Fort Myers, FL · North Fort Myers HS
CFB Index 62 · #168 of 544 safetiesMedium confidenceReturning to South Florida 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
1
interception · 2026
11 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 INT, 5 tackles, vs Florida International
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 safety for South Florida. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to South Florida in 2022.
- 1 interception in 2025. Then 1 in 2026.
Tavin Ward
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Tavin Ward has played for three head coaches in four seasons at South Florida. One game to point at: 6 tackles against Army — Week 2, 2026.
11 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2022
- Signed with South Florida2-star out of Duplicate
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
South Florida
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coaches2023–2024
South Florida
2025era →
Kevin Patrick
South Florida
2026era →
Brian Hartline
South Florida
Played under 3 different head coaches: Alex Golesh, Kevin Patrick, and Brian Hartline. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023South Florida7-6HC: Alex Golesh · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2024South Florida7-6HC: Alex Golesh · Balanced
2025South Florida9-4HC: Kevin Patrick · Run-leaning
2026South Florida2-0HC: Brian Hartline · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles for loss (20th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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: 5.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Brian Hartline
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Starter
Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
62 · #168 of 544 safeties
Two-star recruit. Now #168 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #13 of 38 American Athletic Ss
How the All-AAC estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | South Florida | 11 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 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 | 170 | 105 | 6.5 | 0.0 | 13 | 7 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 28–24
at Army
6 TOT · 2 SOLO
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 4 on the road.
With M. Van Buren Jr. — 239 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 82.3 · 45 rush yds (5 car) · 2 TD · L. Goater — 42 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 48 LONG
Game log
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 #52 · 2026 recruiting class #90
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to M.J. Griffin’s 2024 season.
Matches M.J. on
PD rate
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Anthony Cook's junior season at Texas (2022).
92%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 3
Matches Anthony on
Class year
Height
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Tavin Ward
Background
HONORS 2026 PFN Preseason Second Team All-Conference 2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference Second Team 2026: A preseason PFN Second Team All-Conference selection. 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...
The secondary · South Florida
- #5Ayden Jackson74 tackles · 2025
- #2Tavin Ward60 tackles · 2025
- #3Za'Quan Bryan37 tackles · 2025
- #9Israel Boyce29 tackles · 2025
- #8Amarion Fortenberry13 tackles · 2025
19 more on the roster · South Florida team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology