Signing Breakdown: Akeem Ward to Colorado Springs

What star full back Akeem Ward brings to the reigning champs in Colorado Springs

Akeem Ward is, in my humble opinion, the most complete full back in the USL. Between his two-footed attacking contributions, defensive zone excellence, and Ironman consistency, it’s that ability to do everything at a high level that sets Ward apart.

Now, the 28-year-old is taking his talents to Colorado Springs after two seasons with Memphis 901. The Switchbacks are Ward’s seventh USL club since 2019, but don’t let the churn fool you: there isn’t a better full back in the league. With Matt Real, the start during Colorado Springs’ title run, gone after a lone spell, there simply wasn’t a better option on the market.

I praised Ward on the regular last year, and the excellence that made him pop by the eye test also showed up in the numbers. My modeling ranked him in the 97th percentile of USL full backs in both 2023 and 2024; the defender combined to eat up more than 5,500 minutes across the two campaigns.

In a 901 side that could be a tactical chameleon, Ward’s performances were consistently solid. By almost any metric - xG, xA, takeaways, tackle win rate - the new Switchbacks man is a high-performing player.

When Memphis began matches in a hyper-aggressive, high-pressing 4-2-3-1, Ward understood when to step up and when to sit back. No USL full back won more tackles last season. In total, Ward was responsible for 85 takeaways.

At the same time, the Virginia native was only dribbled past 0.6 times per game. Given how Memphis pushed their midfield up, Ward often had to navigate the defensive zone without much secondary support. That he still posted a strong number is a testament to his one-on-one capabilities.

Of course, Ward can do more than just play as a stereotypical back-four left back. Memphis liked to adopt a back five late in games, and Ward was more than happy to bomb upfield as a wing back. In prior stops - particularly Oakland in the 2021 season - he picked up the mantle of right back. As we’ll see, one of Ward’s best assets is his two-footedness.

That’s on show here. In the first clip, with his team having drawn the defense toward the right wing, Ward receives in a one-on-one against a rival full back. Feinting left, stutter-stepping left a second time to gain space, and thereby opening a window, the star defender is able to hit a terrific cross toward the penalty spot.

There, a teammate knocks the serve home to give Memphis a lead. That right-footed service is a standout feature of Ward’s game already, but he’s steady on either side. Indeed, the 28-year-old completed 26% of his crosses in 2024 to rank in the 86th percentile; his accuracy has improved in each season since 2021.

The second play above is more of the same. Ward is raring to go on the left flank, continuing to seek out space as the play develops. By the time he can receive in a one-on-one, he takes a super clever first touch on his left foot toward the right. In doing so, Ward finds a pocket and tries a neat through ball to a teammate.

Does that second sequence come off? Not quite, but it’s indicative of that more-than-meets-the-eye creativity innate to Akeem Ward’s game.

The left back’s defensive quality is on show across the two examples here, all of which come with Memphis sitting deep to defend a lead. This is a low-pressure situation on paper, but one mistake could easily let the opposition back into the match. Ward never lets that happen.

In the first case, Ward is initially isolated when a pass sets up an opposing winger on his side. Knowing that the left-footed Tyler Pasher, the receiver, won’t dribble endline, Ward angles his body against a potential cut inside while also backtracking to fend off against an eventual overlap.

It’s a very difficult tightrope to walk, but Ward does so splendidly. In the end, he tackles away Pasher’s through to that overlapping player. The full back put in 1.9 tackles per match in 2024 and won 79% of his attempts; both marks ranked in the 91st percentile.

The next play features another takeaway. This time, the opposition moves more quickly and tries a incisive through into the right channel. Ward sniffs out the pass and gets a touch on the ball, but the sequence isn’t yet over. The new Switchbacks man keeps grinding, and he’s able to clear in the end.

That sort of effort is classic Akeem Ward. For all the strong stat lines and highlight plays, it’s consistent energy and buy-in that also define Ward’s game. Across his USL career, the defender has always stood out for his work rate, and that’ll be a key factor that makes him a star in Colorado Springs.

With Speedy Williams and Ronaldo Damus out, the Switchbacks needed to make a statement. By signing the USL’s best left back, they’ve done just that.