Logan Ward is One of the Best Developments in Fall Camp for Cowboys

STILLWATER – At the beginning of fall camp, I truly felt that Logan Ward and the placement kicking situation was a concern. Ward, the junior out of Deer Creek High School near Edmond, has been sensational as a kickoff specialist. He was really good averaging close to 45-yards a punt in the 2022 season. Now, the Cowboys need him to pull another duty and kick field goals and PATs.

In the spring he was solid, but the accuracy was enough of an issue that Oklahoma State brought in a transfer kicker in Sam Babbush of Charleston Southern. Just before fall camp started Babbush bailed and left for a job offer in the real world using his degree from Charleston Southern. At the same time, Mike Gundy hired Sean Snyder away from Kansas. That is itself was a little weird as the former Kansas State All-American punter and later assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for his father and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Snyder was working for the rival. 

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Sean Snyder

Snyder came in to work with existing special teams analyst Joseph Foteh. Coming out of fall camp, Gundy likes the way it has come together.  

"Good. It's been an interesting concept and a very good experience for me to watch,” Gundy said. “Most of what we've done will stay the course, but then there's some things that he wanted to do that we changed a little bit. But it's been a really good learning experience for me."

Oklahoma State has a two-prong punting system with Australian rugby-style punter Hudson Kaak handing pooch and plus side punts with Wes Pahl, in his second year after transferring from Western Kentucky, handling the boomers or the flip the field situation.

Shea Friebaum is an excellent deep snapper. The Cowboys have plenty of good returners in the form of Brennan Presley, Kyler Pearson, freshman Rodney Fields Jr, and OU transfer Gavin Freeman. 

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Ward is doing well as camp ends.

The issue was Ward on field goals. Competition in the form of former soccer player Kason Shrum and then recently acquired Drake Tabor hasn’t really developed. What has developed is Ward’s accuracy has improved.  Snyder has helped.

"We brought him (Snyder) in here because he understands the actual integral, fundamental part of punting and kicking, so he's been valuable to our team for that reason," Gundy explained.

It has helped as Ward went four-of-five on pressure field goals after the scrimmage and they were all 42-yards or further.