Ford finds home in Fayetteville
A day after wrapping up an unofficial visit in Fayetteville and subsequently naming Arkansas his leader, Luke Ford has gone public with his commitment to the Razorbacks.
Ford, 6-7, 240 of Carterville (Ill.), chose the Hogs over an impressive list of offers that included Alabama, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Florida, Georgia and many others. The Razorbacks were his first Power-5 offer in late January.
"I'm pumped right now, if you can't tell," Ford said. "I am pumped. This is awesome, I'm so excited. I'm happy to shut down the recruitment and just focus on school and sports now.
"I'm committed. I loved everything about Arkansas that I saw. I just don't know what to say, I'm pumped."
Ford said his relationship with the staff and the at-home feeling his family received during the visit were the main reasons for his decision.
It also didn't hurt that Arkansas has produced two of the last seven Mackey Award winners and has seen four consecutive tight ends go on to be drafted -- a number that will reach five after Jeremy Sprinkle is taken next month.
"Well, they call it Tight End U for a reason," Ford said. "It really is Tight End U."
Ford named the Razorbacks his No. 1 team on his way out of Northwest Arkansas on Monday, saying he had become "too sick" to make his previously scheduled trips to Alabama and Georgia.
He said he knew for sure what he wanted to do on Tuesday.
"I woke up this morning and I said, 'I've thought about it, I've prayed about it, I know this is where I'm going.'"
Ford's commitment gives Arkansas three for 2018. He joins Greenwood (Ark.) quarterback Connor Noland and Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy linebacker Bumper Pool.
"Noland is going crazy right now, he's losing his mind," Ford said. "He and Bumper and I are going to room together at Arkansas, so we've got to be very selective on who we get for the last person in our dorm."
Ford's father, Tim, said he and his wife were 100 percent on board with their son's decision, as well.
"It was an easy choice," Tim Ford said. "They did it right. We had dinner with the coaches and they put Luke with the 2017 recruits. That was good, and then the whole next day was just a whirlwind, nonstop, but it was all good.
"But they want him, they showed they want him and how they'll use him. They've had the two award winners and the tight end is a huge part of what they do. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak.
"We're absolutely thrilled, we're ecstatic. We're just ecstatic that he gets to go where he wants to go. We didn't put any pressure on him or anything, so we're just happy that he's happy."
