Washington State has rarely been known for being a defensive prowess unit, but that changed that narrative in the 2022 season finishing the upper echelon of many statistical categories in the conference. That fact didn’t escape the attention of ASU’s new head coach Kenny Dillingham, who decided to hire the Glendale, Ariz. native to assume the vacant role in Tempe.

Ward completed his only season in Pullman, guiding Washington State to a fifth-place finish in the Pac-12 in total defense at the end of the regular season (394.08 yards), and third in scoring defense (22.42). Nationally coming into yesterday’s games, Washington State was ranked no. 35 in scoring defense.

When he faced Dillingham, who was the offensive coordinator for Oregon this past season, Ward’s group limited the Ducks to just 15 points through three quarters before surrendering three touchdowns in the last frame in a 44-41 loss. Against ASU a few weeks later, the Cougars shut out the Sun Devils in the first half and yielded just 18 points in the last two quarters in a 28-18 Washington State win.

This past season was Ward’s second stint with WSU Head Coach Jake Dickert, as the two worked alongside each other at North Dakota State in 2010. Ward arrived in Pullman after a two-year stint as defensive coordinator at the University of Nevada. During that period, Ward led Nevada to marked improvement from prior to his arrival in total defense and scoring defense. The Nevada defense had a 7.5-point improvement allowing 24.4 points per game in 2021. Five members of the Wolfpack defense earned All-Mountain West recognition in Ward’s first season in 2020.

Prior to his two years at Nevada, Ward coached four years at Syracuse. In 2017 and 2018, the Orange led the nation in turnovers forced in 2018 and forced more turnovers in 2017 and 2018 than any other FBS team in the nation. They also finished in the top 15 in third-down defense and were also top-six nationally in 2018 in turnovers gained, interceptions, fumbles recovered, and sacks while also setting the school record for sacks. Ward was a nominee for the Broyles Award – given to the nation’s top assistant coach – in 2017

Ward also served as the defensive coordinator at Bowling Green, Western Illinois, and Drake.

At Arizona State, Ward takes over a Sun Devil defense that is losing key players in its front seven, such as linebackers Kyle Soelle and Merlin Robertson, as well as nose tackle Nesta Jade Silvera, and a unit ranked eighth in the Pac-12 in total defense (421.5 yards) and ninth in scoring defense (31.42 points)

Ward holds a bachelor’s degree in history from McPherson and a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. He coaches locally in the valley at Glendale Community College between 1999-2000.

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