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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois head coach Lovie Smith has completed his coaching staff with the hiring of Thad Ward as running backs coach. Ward joins the Fighting Illini from Northern Illinois, where he coached wide receivers for the past three seasons.

" Thad Ward will bring a new level of energy to our program," Smith said. "He has been successful at each stop of his career, and is a proven recruiter. Thad has helped develop several outstanding players along the way, and I'm confident our current players will respond to his coaching in a positive way."

Ward helped Northern Illinois to a 31-11 record from 2013-15, including two trips to the Poinsettia Bowl (2013, '15) and one appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl (2014). His success was highlighted by two-time All-MAC honoree Da'Ron Brown's selection by the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Brown caught 68 passes for 1,065 yards and six touchdowns to lead the Huskies to the 2014 MAC championship.

Ward went to NIU from Western Michigan in 2012. In one season with the Broncos, Ward developed wide receiver Jaime Wilson into WMU's No. 1 receiver on his way to the MAC Freshman of the Year award. Wilson had 67 receptions for 792 yards and six touchdowns in his first year at Western Michigan.

Prior to WMU, Ward spent one season at Gardner-Webb as the wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator in 2011 after six seasons as the running backs coach at Western Illinois from 2005-10.

Ward started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida A&M and spent two years coaching high school football at Tallahassee Rickards High School from 2003-04.

Ward played at Central Florida (1999-2001) and Coffeyville Community College (1997-98). His wife, Jocelyn, have two daughters – Jayda and Journie – and one son, Thaddaeus, Jr.

Ward's Coaching History

Years Team Position 2002 Florida A&M Graduate Assistant 2003-04 Tallahassee Rickards H.S. WR/DB (Interim head coach in 2004) 2005-10 Western Illinois Running Backs 2011 Gardner-Webb Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator 2012 Western Michigan Wide Receivers 2013-15 Northern Illinois Wide Receivers 2016 Illinois Running Backs

2016 ILLINOIS FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF