Every day. That’s how often Derrick Ward worked against the Giants defense. Every day in practice. Sometimes twice a day in training camp. That’s a lot, even for a fairly dim player, which Ward certainly is not.
“An outstanding student of the game,” was the way Tom Coughlin described the former Giants running back.
Ward plays for the other team now, and what he learned he took with him to the west coast of Florida and will try to unleash it Sunday when the Giants (2-0) look to continue to win and the Buccaneers (0-2) look to stop the losing.
“I plead the fifth, that’s all I can tell you about that,” Ward said yesterday, chuckling, about how much his presence can help the Bucs. “It’s only obvious, I played there for five years against that defense every day in practice.”
This is not akin to the Redskins picking up former Giants practice squad quarterback Andre Woodson the week before the season opener. Ward was a popular and integral member of the Giants, and there is no detail he won’t be able to impart to his new team.
“It’s probably a little more of an advantage for him,” defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said. “We’re definitely familiar with his style of running, we know how good he is and what he brings to the table, so our eyes are going to be open. We’ll be ready for him.”
And Ward is ready for the Giants.
“He’s been calling me and talking a little trash. I would love to be able to go out there and shut him up a little bit,” said defensive end Justin Tuck, who likely will miss the game with a shoulder injury. “He’s been calling since preseason and he’s been very consistent in his message. He’s going to run all over us.”
After Brandon Jacobs and Ward became the fourth pair of running backs in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards in the same season, the Giants knew they could not pay starter’s money to both of them. They chose the bigger, stronger and younger Jacobs, who is 27 (Ward is 29). Jacobs got a four-year, $25 million deal; Ward signed a four-year, $17 million contract with the Bucs.
In losses to the Cowboys and Bills, Ward has showed his new team the consistency the Giants came to expect from such a workmanlike back. Ward (21 carries) has evenly shared the load with starter Cadillac Williams (20) and with 94 yards is averaging 4.5 yards per rushing attempt. Williams has 106 yards for a 5.3-yard average. Both have one touchdown. Earnest Graham also is in the mix.
After stepping out of the considerable shadow cast by Jacobs, Ward once again is sharing the load.
“There’s not too many featured running backs in the NFL,” Ward said. “You got your Adrian Peterson, your Michael Turner. I’m fine with the rotation we have and the carries that I get. It will only extend my career and also extend our season as far as having healthy running backs.”
Ward called lining up across from his former team “surreal,” but reality will come soon enough.
“When you get to play against one of your buddies or old friends, you want to stick ’em a little harder. You want to make sure they get the message,” Kiwanuka said.
It is debatable how much Ward can help the Bucs prepare, but what is certain is how much the Giants helped Ward.
“It was life-changing,” Ward said of his Giants experience. “I learned to become a man pretty much with the Giants. When I got into the league I didn’t have any direction when it came to the NFL.
“The Giants prepared me to become the player I am today, and I’ll always be in debt to the Giants when it comes to that.”
paul.schwartz@nypost.com