BREAKING: Idaho hires former assistant Thomas Ford Jr. as head football coach
Ford was on Eck’s staff for two years
The University of Idaho hired Thomas Ford Jr., a former assistant coach for the Vandals, as the program's 37th head football coach.
Ford was Idaho’s running backs coach and special teams coordinator under former coach Jason Eck for two seasons.
"First I would like to thank my wife Shannon and my kiddos for being the support system most dream of," Ford said in a news release. "I would also like to thank Terry Gawlik and Scott Green for the tremendous opportunity they have provided. I couldn't be more excited to be coming back to the Palouse. This place is truly special and want to continue the standard of excellence that has been set by Coach Eck. We're going to be aggressive in everything we do. Schematically on offense, defense, and special teams and especially in recruiting! We will continue bringing in high character athletes that will help us take the program to the next level.”
Ford, a Seattle native, attended Linfield College and played professional indoor football for four years, winning a National Indoor Football League championship with the Tri-Cities Fever in 2005.
He coached at various schools, including Puget Sound in Tacoma and University of Washington and was most recently Oregon State’s running backs coach.
Ford’s hire comes on the heels of about 20 Vandals entering the transfer portal following Eck’s departure for New Mexico.
