Ford Rounding into Yet Another Player Hogs Fans Watch Flourish from Afar

Former Arkansas Razorback finally showing full potential with Hodgson's Red Wolves

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Jan 30, 2024 2:56 PM EST

In this story:

JONESBORO, Ark. – It turns out Derrian Ford is rounding into the college basketball player Arkansas fans always wanted him to be. It's just not in the uniform in which they wanted it to happen, and if they realize it's under the guidance of one of Nate Oats' former assistants at Alabama, their stomachs will turn.

At the end of last season, there was a lot of turnover among the Razorbacks basketball roster. As names popped on social media of players announcing they were now in the transfer portal or headed to the NBA draft, Arkansas fans held their breath hoping a pair of locals wouldn't find themselves on the wrong end of the same message.

Ford and fellow guard Joseph Pinion kept Hog fans on the edge of their seats. They were favorites because the thought was, with development, both could turn into major contributors to the program in coming years.

Eventually, Pinion broke the news he was coming back, and finally, a video of Ford riding a horse theoretically from his hometown of Magnolia to Fayetteville was released. There was a sigh of relief as the second son of South Arkansas, the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year who burned his name into the state's high school basketball history books, would get his chance to develop into an elite SEC player.

He had the work ethic. Videos showing him constantly in the gym working on his game or throwing down some variation of a gritty Rocky Balboa workout montage as he maintained his defensive back level physique appeared all over social media.

He was built to sustain the physical pounding of the SEC. What's more, he was an Arkansas man who knew what it meant to put on the uniform and represent the state.

However, days later, it all shifted. If Ford actually brought that horse with him to Fayetteville, it was time to ride the long trail back to Magnolia.

It didn't take long for suitors to come calling. Ford was a hot commodity and odds seemed high he would end up back in the SEC. However, as noted, he's an Arkansas man through and through.

Bryan Hodgson spent the better part of his four years at Alabama trying to convince Ford to come to Tuscaloosa. When he arrived at Arkansas State as a new head coach and watched a player with whom he already had a solid relationship come free, he took the low percentage shot.

Hodgson was able to convince Ford to forego his SEC opportunities and with the promise of being a major part of building something special in the state of Arkansas. When the former Razorbacks guard agreed, it was a major coup for the Red Wolves.

It had been two full years since Ford last played regular competitive basketball since his season at Arkansas had been limited to short, sporadic spurts on the floor. So, as expected, things started a little slow. He hit 3-of-5 shots from the field in the season opener against Wisconsin, but also gave up five turnovers.

Roughly two weeks later against Iowa, he knocked down 4-of-7 for 11 points while also chipping in seven rebounds. When Hodgson had to face his old Alabama team, Ford scored 12 with five more rebounds.

Steadily, his confidence and scoring line has grown. He put up 16 points and five rebounds on the road against Arkansas-Little Rock. In a 109-83 shootout against Georgia Southern, Ford went for 15 with seven rebounds on the side.

However, Sunday down in Louisiana, barely 100 miles from where he grew up, Ford evolved into the player so many Razorbacks fans envisioned he could one day be in Fayetteville. In a battle that eventually required overtime, he went for 20 points and 12 rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

Fans are left to wonder as Ford continues to grow as a player whether he will follow a path similar to former Razorback Desi Sills. After struggling to gain satisfactory traction at Arkansas, Sills transferred back to his hometown to play at Arkansas State. The following year he transferred again to Kansas State where he became a star in the Big 12.

As Ford continues to build up his stat line along with his defensive reputation, there will come a time where other teams will reach out to see if he's interested in returning to try his hand in a much brighter spotlight. Then, it will be up to him whether Razorbacks fans watch longingly from afar much in the way they did with Sills and currently with BYU star Jaxon Robinson.