Courtland Ford commits to Kentucky
- Thread starter StubbornPenny
- Start date
YES!!!!!!!
The missing piece just arrived!!!! Now let's make some history!!!!
The missing piece just arrived!!!! Now let's make some history!!!!
Literally a huge addition to the roster….. Awesome recruiting by Stoops and staff.... LFG!!!!
Might be one of those new fresh environment situations…
Coaching change, injured ankle, Mononeucleosis then another small injury this spring and he is on the market. Vince played basketball with this kid's dad and he grew up with Marques Cox before moving during HS.
Saw where CBS Sports' NFL analyst had him as a potential 1st round pick in May of 2022 for the 2023 draft which was obviously BEFORE all the above stuff happened to him.
This kid has 3 years eligibility remaining(with the COVID year), so he is a HUGE pickup!!! Our coaching staff has done a WONDERFUL JOB with kids like Mr. Ford!! Hope he can shore up that RT spot this year and slide over to the LT next season.
Time will tell, but getting him for 3 years is huge.
We desperately need a RT. Period.
3 to play 2 is what the OTS reports. Good news. Welcome to BBN!
This player had a very impressive offer sheet out of HS. Should buy a little time as the staff upgrades OL recruiting.
At least we got 1 coach workin' the portal for need.
1. To plug him at RT is huge for 2023
2. The assumption is he plugs LT in 2024 is also big as Oline departure after this year was a potential hole
I assume this means flax and or Buford will be looking to leave
2. The assumption is he plugs LT in 2024 is also big as Oline departure after this year was a potential hole
I assume this means flax and or Buford will be looking to leave
I thought Buford moved back to guard?
But, I agree that we probably lose an OL to portal. I’m not going to pretend to know enough about OL play to say if poor OL play was scheme, OC, or position coach.
I do hope that Coen/Yenser turn the position back into a team strength, and this transfer is another step in that direction.
I understand. I’d also say they recruited over him with transfers ( I get signing HS blue chips ya gotta take those) which is why I’m not going to get overhyped. UK didn’t take transfers on Kinnard or Young.
One of those internet things where some get annoyed at others if they aren’t “sufficiently excited” as they are. Not saying this is you btw.
If he is “only” a multi year starter who makes a NFL camp he’ll be great and I’ll be very satisfied. The small minority treating him like a panacea go a lot further than I can. There’s lots of issues to address.
If he can't play, of course they recruited over or past him. What else are they going to do? That doesn't say a thing about his abilities when healthy.
That was a 3 year starting P5 left tackle that USC took over Ohio State who has high draft potential. I don't know if they recruited over him as much as a Top 10 team grabbed an asset in the market.
I wouldn't get over hyped to think we got an sec all conference team performer this year. But we got an upgrade at starting tackle who should be SEC capable in 2023. That in turn strengthens 2nd team. To the point where we probably can sub in entire line instead of couple utility men.
This^^ Devils in the details. It isn't lack of athletic ability with Ford like it seems to be with Flax. He started all 8 games he was healthy at LT his RS FR year and graded out pretty good. then injuries hit last fall and this spring. By all accounts we really couldn't have asked for much better to fill, by far, the biggest hole on the team that could have single handedly derailed several games next year.
Very happy the staff doesn't just sit on their hands and hope/pray Flax will be an adequate SEC RT in the fall. Try for a fix. Complacency and being risk averse is a losing strategy.
Various views from other fanbases on Ford via the College Football subreddit below from his UK commitment, USC transfer, LSU commit, and LSU decommit. I pulled quotes from USC fans.
TIFWIW:
"Ford is a talented junior for sure but dealt with a few injuries that hampered his development (to go along with dealing with poor coaching previous). So, in the face of more consistent experienced o-line transfer play in spring practice, younger o-lineman that have moved above him and the new class coming in... the writing was on the wall.
He would have started in a more normal situation. I hope Ford finds success at his next stop. Lots of potential at RT still to go along with a change of scenery."
...
"Ford has a ton of upside (NFL upside) but he was always a project. He got some valuable reps and could still end up being a player down the line.
I think this is an example a guy that just needed a change of scenery and I’ll be rooting for him to succeed.
That said, I think the writing was on the wall here. We just have too many other experienced guys now with the Wazzou dude and both Florida transfers."
...
"Eh it's not too surprising. He feel down the depth chart throughout last season behind Murphy even, so that plus the transfers put him 4th in the OT depth chart arguably"
"Hope he kills it for you guys but this is the 3rd straight offseason where he loses his starting job."
...
"Good for him he lost weight got better didn't complain last season there just wasn't a place for him at USC you got a guy Wildcats."
...
"I wish him well. I thought this was the year he puts it all together at USC... I guess he'll do it in Kentucky."
TIFWIW:
"Ford is a talented junior for sure but dealt with a few injuries that hampered his development (to go along with dealing with poor coaching previous). So, in the face of more consistent experienced o-line transfer play in spring practice, younger o-lineman that have moved above him and the new class coming in... the writing was on the wall.
He would have started in a more normal situation. I hope Ford finds success at his next stop. Lots of potential at RT still to go along with a change of scenery."
...
"Ford has a ton of upside (NFL upside) but he was always a project. He got some valuable reps and could still end up being a player down the line.
I think this is an example a guy that just needed a change of scenery and I’ll be rooting for him to succeed.
That said, I think the writing was on the wall here. We just have too many other experienced guys now with the Wazzou dude and both Florida transfers."
...
"Eh it's not too surprising. He feel down the depth chart throughout last season behind Murphy even, so that plus the transfers put him 4th in the OT depth chart arguably"
"Hope he kills it for you guys but this is the 3rd straight offseason where he loses his starting job."
...
"Good for him he lost weight got better didn't complain last season there just wasn't a place for him at USC you got a guy Wildcats."
...
"I wish him well. I thought this was the year he puts it all together at USC... I guess he'll do it in Kentucky."
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Pretty sure Flax has his degree, he may want to hang around and get his Masters.
As for Ford, he doesn't have to be All-Pro just needs to be better than last year.
Every teams adds depth, especially when players have been injured. He was a starter on one o fthe top olines for the better part of two seasons and is a significant upgrade over Flax who can now play 10-20 snaps as a backup and we have fresh oline in the 4th quarter.
Horsey is LG1. Looks like Buford and Flax will be on the 2nd team rotation with Boles from Bama and maybe a couple of other underclassmen who prove themselves before fall.
Sounds like we are in violent agreement
...this goes back to my earlier comment about the Internet phenomen where if posters aren't deemed sufficiently excited then they are therefore being overly negative. Even if I would gauge my original post as a 7/10 ("but we desperately need the depth so this is good news") a minority of other posters think I'm bad-talking Ford or UK taking his commitment because it's not a 10/10 in their eyes.
Should coin this the "Vince Marrow Effect" As in, pointing out he's not produced any NFL tight ends since 2013 suggesting he's not a good position coach does not mean he's not been a net positive because of his elite recruiting abilities. Everything has to be perceived as a 9/10 or higher otherwise a few posters think you view things absolutely negative.
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Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but I think he's potentially a depth guy this season with an eye towards rt. His write ups at lt sound like he struggles with speed off the edge and elite speed is all an sec lt will see.
I believe you've had enough already.
Ford is coming here to play, doesn't mean he wins the job but it'll take a lot for him to lose out. And like I said elsewhere, he doesn't have to play like an All-Pro just better than UK had last year.
Linemen with history of nagging injuries usually continue having injuries that cause them to miss practice/games etc … (I don’t know Ford’s list of injuries.)
I do think he’ll start, plus create a deeper room for games he may miss. SEC play is a meat grinder. The cream will rise to the top, but it also improves the quality of play on the next level.
I do think he’ll start, plus create a deeper room for games he may miss. SEC play is a meat grinder. The cream will rise to the top, but it also improves the quality of play on the next level.
Maybe but I think he's coming here to compete and hope for a fresh start. I think before end of season (hopefully out of the gate) Buford will be the rt. So I I think Ford is coming here to compete at rt and provide depth.
Guess we'll see
Haha, guys in wanted positions don't leave power 5 teams & go elsewhere to just 'provide depth'. Leary & Ray Davis didn't come here to 'fight for a starting job', ain't how it works boys.
Ford became starting RT the minute he put his name to paper.
Ford became starting RT the minute he put his name to paper.
If the info above is accurate, he was 4th on the depth chart at usc. That isn't exactly high demand.
If he can beat Buford, he'll play this year. Otherwise he'll be depth because they're both jrs and we'll have better prospects at lt.
Just got a business call from a friend that has a close staff connection. After talking some business he goes did you hear about the kid from USC we had in this weekend. He said the plan was def for him to be their RT. He told me a couple months ago that Buford was a stud but had trouble learning all his assignments. He said that is the only reason he doesn't start at LT. He also said Keenum was looking really good and that Bowles would be a solid backup OG.
That was the knock on Buford last year. This year we have a special communicator at of that will find a way to communicate concepts that scang just couldn't. If Buford still can't get them, then there just no hope for the kid.
Even so imo the fact still remains he will beat Buford or be depth. I don't see any real middle ground. I just don't see him ever starting at lt for us short of roster issues
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