Recruiting Area(s): Inner City Detroit, North Florida
Thad Ward was announced as the wide receivers coach at Western Michigan on Feb. 17, 2012.
Ward joins the Broncos after building his resume at nearly every
level of the game. The 2001 Central Florida graduate began his coaching
career as a graduate assistant and safeties coach at Florida A&M
(2002). From 2003-05 he was the passing game coordinator, wide
receivers, defensive backs and special teams coordinator at Tallahassee
Rickards High School as well as the DB coach and recruiting coordinator
at Independence Community College in 2005.
During the summer of 2005, Ward served as a graduate assistant at
Illinois before joining Western Illinois as the running backs coach.
There he spent six seasons helping build an offense that would rank
second in the FCS in points per game (35.6) and third in yards per game
(457.23) during the 2010 campaign. He also helped Walter Camp
All-American Herb Donaldson to Missouri Valley Offensive Player of the
Year and Walter Payton finalist in 2008.
During his time at Western Illinois, Ward participated in the NCAA
Football Coaches Academy in May of 2009 as well as the NFL's Minority
Internship Program with the Baltimore Ravens from May to August of the
same year.
Ward (33/DOB: 9-17-78) joined Gardner-Webb in 2011 as the passing game coordinator and
wide receivers coach. He helped James Perry become the all-time
receptions leader in the Big South Conference.
He and his wife Jocelyn have two daughters, Jayda and Journie, and a son,
Thaddaeus, Jr.
