Leatherneck Nation

It's been announced on football scoop web site that Brian Ward has left for the same position at Bowling Green State University.

Best wishes to Brian in the MAC. Coaches can easily be replaced. Not so for relationships. Brian may have been the key connection to our "Arizona Pipeline".

Dang I was hoping for one more year with entire same staff, I wonder who Nielson will bring in to replace him. I suppose it will probably happen in the next month so he is there for spring training. I am sure he has a guy in mind and was aware this was happening weeks ago so has been looking. All the best to Brian he was a great coach!

Here is the official Bowling Green State announcement:
http://bgsufalcons.com/news/2015/2/13/B ... 54303.aspx

Bowling Green Head Coach, Dino Babers was the HC at Eastern Illinois in '12 and '13 (Jimmy Garoppolo years), so I wonder if he's kinda kept his eye on coach Ward for a few years going back to then. I know we didn't play them, but I'd think you're probably a little more likely to keep tabs on "local" teams. Plus, in some local areas we would have been recruiting against each other.

I don't think this is a shocker to anyone. Hopefully him leaving doesn't affect the roster.

Has anyone read or heard any rumors of any defensive coaches to come to replace coach Ward? I am betting like all of you that we want a coach with experience and probably a good pedigree to make this defense better in the toughest conference in all of FCS.

Assuming it will be someone Nielson has coached or that has been on his staff. Ward is the only guy that wasn't his as keeping him was part of the deal when he took the job. Maybe we'll see Matt Entz come back after he was the DC at NDSU last year.

Either way, good luck to Coach Ward. I'm sure we'll see him on an even bigger stage down the road.

Good for Coach Ward, he was so far over qualified with this staff. He came with D1 experience and was the best thing this staff had. He will do great in the MAC, why would someone think Entz would leave ND State to take the same job here. He migt come back as head coach in 16 or 17. We will bring in some other D2 or D3 guy as Nielson would not want a threat from a D1 FCS coordinator

Don't know if I'd leave the NDSU DC job, but only a thought since Bob was his college coach. Probably not happening but a chance.