PULLMAN, Wash. — After just one year in charge of WSU's defense, defensive coordinator Brian Ward is reportedly leaving the program to accept the defensive coordinator position at Arizona State under new head coach Kenny Dillingham.
ESPN's Pete Thamel reported the move on Twitter.
Ward led a WSU defense that featured Butkus Award finalist Daiyan Henley to a top 80 NCAA defensive ranking in 2022.
The Cougs also finished as the third ranked scoring defense in the PAC 12 this season.
Ward joins an ASU staff that also includes former EWU head coach Beau Baldwin as offensive coordinator.
In his final game as defensive coordinator at WSU, Ward's defense gave up a mind boggling 703 yards of total offense to Washington in the Apple Cup. That marks the worst defensive performance of any PAC 12 team this season.
For the second consecutive year, WSU head coach Jake Dickert will begin a search for a new defensive coordinator.
WSU's new defensive coordinator will have to turn around a defense which ranked tenth in the PAC 12 this season in passing defense.
The WSU defense received a boost when edge rusher Brennan Jackson announced he is returning to school in 2023. However, linebacker Travion Brown has entered the transfer portal.
This is a developing story.
