Bryce Ford spent the past three seasons as a star attacker at Fairfield. His transfer to Maryland men’s lacrosse in the offseason came with a position change to midfield.

The graduate student had only played the position during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. But he’s thrived in the role and become a versatile weapon, leading the Terps to their best start to a season since their national championship campaign in 2022.

“I’ve had prior success, but I didn’t have any expectations,” Ford said. “I didn’t feel like I deserved anything or was owed anything. I kind of came in with the mindset of, ‘All right, if I’m going to play, I’m going to have to earn it.”’

Though Ford played attacker throughout high school, he joined Fairfield’s midfield unit as a freshman. The Stags sought to match him up with short-sticks and have him move primarily without the ball in a low-pressure role. Ford notched 16 scores that season — the third most on the team — but redshirted the 2021 campaign due to injury.

Ford returned in 2022 as a full-time starting attacker. He recorded more assists than goals, still acting as a facilitator alongside talented shooters.

The South Salem, New York, native began to dodge more intentionally and seek his own shot as a junior, eventually gaining full trust to run the offense from around the cage in his final season. Ford led Fairfield with 70 goals in his final two seasons.

[Maryland men’s lacrosse’s offense excelled near the cage against Delaware]

“He’s athletic [and] can play pretty much anywhere on the field — behind the goal, on the wings, up top,” coach John Tillman said. “He can finish, he can shoot the ball from the outside, he can distribute.”

Ford’s transfer to Maryland resulted in more skilled teammates, where he didn’t need to be the clear best option. His selflessness let him fit seamlessly into the Terps’ roster.

Ford was focused on being a team-first player in a new program, which made him initially hesitant to look for his own shots. Tillman and his staff pushed Ford’s aggressiveness, knowing he could win individual matchups.

The two-time All-CAA second team honoree has done exactly that. Ford ranks second on Maryland with four multi-score games, stretching the field with a focus on unpredictability.

“When you play attack … you kind of get a shot off whenever you want. With the midfield, you got to be a little bit more conscious about your shot style,” Ford said. “You got to use your speed and change up your angles of dodging … Once you can get those things down and change it up a little bit, it ends up making a world of difference.”

[No. 1 Maryland men’s lacrosse remains undefeated with 14-3 domination over Delaware]

Ford has grown more comfortable in Maryland’s offense, a system that equates a poor shot to a turnover. The Terps watch film of an opposing goalkeeper nearly everyday to strategize for optimal looks.

Ford finds the most benefit from studying what players around him do.

He watched senior attacker and midfielder Eric Spanos’ tactical maneuvers around the cage to gauge how to get shots off with quick releases even with slim openings. He analyzed fifth-year senior attacker Daniel Kelly’s strategic movement and screening to learn better involvement without the ball, a skill he hadn’t needed much since his freshman season.

Ford scored twice against Delaware last Saturday to help Maryland account for a scoreless Kelly for the first time this season. Both of Ford’s goals came uncovered off passes, in line with the Terps’ game plan of attackers and midfielders playing with pace around the cage to create open shots.

Many of Maryland’s dominant stretches have come when the two positions have come together to look like a cohesive unit. Ford’s impressiveness in both spots gives Tillman a weapon he can trust to play anywhere during the rest of the season.