A Championship Vision: Meet #Mizzou's Cornell Ford
2/1/2016 8:51:00 AM | Football
Part eight in an exclusive MUTigers.com series introducing Mizzou Football's coaching staff
A Championship Vision. That is the mindset that Mizzou Football head coach Barry Odom took into his first month on the job as he built an impressive coaching staff that boasts years of high-level college and pro experience and an abundance of success both as coaches and as players. Leading into National Signing Day on February 3, MUTigers.com will be introducing all of Mizzou's coaches in what was the first exclusive interviews for each coach since Coach Odom established the staff.
Today we introduce you to Mizzou running backs coach Cornell Ford. After serving as the team's cornerbacks coach for years, Ford will make the switch this season to running backs in his first year on Odom's staff. Ford talked about that change and being one of the longest-tenured coaches at Mizzou below.
Returning to Mizzou Football's coaching staff this season is Coach Cornell Ford. No stranger to Head Coach Barry Odom, Mizzou, or the SEC, Ford has spent 15 seasons with the Tigers and has played a key role in the team's past success.
"This is a second home to me. I have set roots here and obviously, with Coach Odom we go way back," Ford said. "Not only is he a great coach, but also he is great person. I was thrilled that he wanted me to be a part of his staff. This is a special place, I think we have done some great things here and I just want to continue that. Our goal is to win an outright SEC championship and hopefully get into the playoff."
Having previously worked with the defense, coaching alongside Barry Odom, Coach Ford helped lead the Tigers to back-to-back SEC Eastern Championships in both the 2013 and 2014 seasons. In 2013 alone, Coach Ford's cornerbacks were ranked fifth nationally with 20 interceptions. A key figure to achieving this accolade was one of Coach Ford's star players, E.J. Gaines. Ford was vital to the development of Gaines' accomplishments when he earned First Team All-SEC honors and then went on to be the highest drafted Mizzou cornerback since 1983.
Despite his success coaching the corners, Odom had a different vision in mind for Ford as he will coach the running backs in 2016 while continuing to be the program's primary recruiter in the St. Louis area. There is no question that Coach Ford was excited about having the opportunity to continue working with Barry Odom.
"He is a great person, a great coach, very loyal, and really focuses on discipline and toughness in a football team, which will draw out the characteristics that I want every football player on this team to have," Ford said. "I want our players to put in the work and the time that it takes. Odom is dedicated; there is no question that he will get us back on track. We are not far off, but he will certainly get us to where we need to be in the SEC."
Entering his 16th season with the Tigers, Ford will be making the transition from defense to offense, which shouldn't be a problem for Ford as he has coached numerous positions over this coaching career, which began in 1988. He has coached quarterbacks, running backs and receivers on the offensive side and mentored every position in the secondary over his coaching career. Knowing the success that he has had everywhere he has been, he has high hopes for the running backs in 2016.
"I want people to see the most physical and athletic running backs in the SEC," Ford said. "That is a big statement, but those are the kind of guys I want."
Developing the most physical and athletic running backs in the SEC is exactly what Ford hopes to accomplish this spring. With spring football right around the corner, Ford pictures no time better than the present to begin to establish that identity, along with ball security.
"I want to see us take care of the ball. Ball security is job security, and I think we have to do a great job at that," Ford said. "I cannot emphasize enough that we have got to be a much more physical position. We have to be productive. It is about making plays in critical situations."
In order to get the desired performance out of his players, Coach Ford realizes how important it is to form relationships with his players. As far as relating to his players, Coach Ford said, "I would like to think that I am a player's coach, but at the same time I am not here to be your buddy. I am going to make sure that that they are doing their jobs, but I like to support our players and let them know I care about them."
Coach Ford is also the chief recruiter in the St. Louis area. Over the years, he has helped Mizzou recruit some of the top talent in the area, using his exceptional ability to relate to prospects.
"Recruiting is all about relationships. We try to build those relationships from the beginning and make it really hard for young men to say no," Ford said. "I would like to think that we have done a good job with that here. It is about trust as well, and it takes a while to build that trust. Another big aspect is your word. If you are going to do something, you do it. I try to give guys a role model; this is how I live my life. These are the kind of guys I want in our program if they can live up to that standard, and are they willing to live up to that standard. Most of the guys that we are looking at can do that. Trust is the main aspect though."
Extremely thankful to be staying in Columbia, Coach Ford also expressed how humbled he is to continue working in the sport he loves.
"Football is everything to me. It has provided a house for my family, sent my kids to college, and has presented many different opportunities. Football has given me the chance to meet incredible people all over the world. I have been blessed to be around good people and have learned so much. It has been my world and is extremely special. I have football to thank for everything, and I am blessed."
