Eric Ward (2014) - Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame - University of Richmond Athletics

Eric Ward

Induction:
2014
Class:
2010

Eric Ward guided the Spider football program through the most-successful four-year run in team history, including two CAA Football Championships (2007, 2009) and the 2008 National Championship. Ward was 41-12 in his career as Richmond's starting quarterback and owned every career passing record when he graduated. His name still appears in the Top 10 in 12 passing categories, and he currently remains tops in career passing yards (8,969), completions (784) and touchdown passes (61).

The 2008 national semifinal game at Northern Iowa may be remembered as Ward's shining moment. Trailing by six, Ward engineered "The Drive," starting at the Spider 38 yard line with 1:44 remaining and no timeouts. He completed six passes, including the game winner to Joe Stewart with 14 seconds remaining. He also threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Grayson and scored on a 1-yard sneak. He finished 28-of-35 for a career-high 280 yards and no interceptions. The following week in the national title game, Ward completed the journey by throwing a touchdown pass and catching a touchdown pass in the convincing 24-7 triumph over Montana, securing the school's first national title.

Ward began his record-shattering career by being named CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2006 and finished it as one of three finalists for the Dudley Award, symbolic of the top college football player in the Commonwealth of Virginia.