MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois Football head coach Mark Hendrickson announced on Tuesday (Feb. 7) that Brian Ward will take over as the Leathernecks defensive coordinator. Ward joins the Leathernecks after spending last season in charge of the defense at Drake University.
In his year at Drake, Ward was instrumental in helping the Bulldogs to a 9-2 record and 2011 Pioneer Football League championship. He took over an already impressive defense and made it better as the Bulldogs jumped up the national rankings in nearly every defensive category.
As the 2011 season progressed, the Bulldogs' defense got stingier holding five of the final eight opponents to 14 points or less. Drake finished the year second nationally in rushing defense (77.2 ypg), third in redzone defense, fifth in sacks (39), seventh in scoring defense (17.8 ppg), 10th in total defense (295.4 ypg allowed), 13th in tackles for loss (7.7) and 23rd in pass efficiency defense.
Ward coached seven All-Pioneer League selections on the field while in the classroom five of his defensive players were voted Academic All-PFL.
"I am very excited to announce the hiring of Brian Ward as our defensive coordinator. Brian is a true professional who has experience as a collegiate defensive coordinator and also as a head coach," said Hendrickson. "Coach Ward will provide great leadership and expertise to our program."
No stranger to the Missouri Valley Football Conference, Ward spent the 2010 season as the defensive backs coach at North Dakota State. He was part of a Bison program that, along with the Leathernecks, represented two of the three MVFC teams that advanced to the Division I playoffs. That year NDSU led the conference in scoring defense after finishing last the previous season. His secondary also played a key role in going from last to first in pass efficiency defense and fewest touchdown passes allowed. The Bison also led the conference in interceptions with 18.
A 1997 graduate of McPherson College, Ward spent three seasons (2007-09) as head coach at his alma mater compiling a 17-14 record. He led the Bulldogs to a 9-2 record and the program's first berth in the NAIA Football Championship series in 2009.
In his final season at McPherson, Ward was voted the NAIAFootball.net/CollegeFanz.com 'Coach of the Year'. During his tenure, the Bulldogs had seven All-Americans, two Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) 'Players of the Year', seven NAIA Scholar-Athletes and 39 All-KCAC selections.
He spent the 2006 season as the defensive coordinator at Tulsa Union High School, helping the program to a state semifinals appearance. In 2005 Ward was the co-defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator at Missouri Southern.
Ward served as assistant head coach, special teams coordinator, secondary coach and strength and conditioning coordinator under Drake head coach Chris Creighton at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., for four seasons (2001-2004). He was named the 2002 American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division III National Assistant Coach of the Year.
He worked three years (1998-2000) at Glendale Community College as the defensive coordinator in charge of the secondary. His final two years the program won the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference championship, and in 2000 went 10-1 en route to the NJCAA National Championship.
Following his playing career at McPherson, Ward was the defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator at his alma mater in 1997. The Bulldogs posted their first winning record in 23 years while finishing second nationally (NAIA) in passing defense and eighth in total defense. McPherson also blocked 12 kicks that season, a program record.
Ward graduated from McPherson College in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in history. He holds a master's degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.
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