One of the oldest cliches in football is that defenses win championships. That’s the mindset that new Westwood Head Coach and Athletic Coordinator Derek Ward brings with him from Houston as he heads into his first campaign at the helm of the Westwood Warriors.

After playing high school football at Salado, the 43-year-old Plainview, TX native has been on the defensive staff of several outstanding Houston-area squads. Following three seasons as Houston Bellaire’s defensive coordinator, Ward was the defensive backs coach for three seasons at powerhouse Katy. That run began in 2015 when the Tigers gave up an astonishing 3.9 points per game on their way to being the top defense in the United States, winning the 6A Division II State Championship and being named one of the UIL's 100 Greatest Teams of All-Time.