Antonio Ford, a 5-foot-9, 195-pound running back from Wayzata, is one of the top ball carriers in the state. Ford rushed for 105 yards in 13 carries in a 47-20 win over Prior Lake in the season opener and helped lead the Trojans to a 28-7 win over Eagan Friday night. GopherHole.com caught up with Ford after the game to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Ford suffered a third degree tear of the medial collateral ligament, which caused him to miss the first two games last season at Coon Rapids. However, he managed to gain 922 yards in the final eight games.
Ford moved to Wayzata after his mother was transferred and joins one of the deepest and most talented teams in the state.
Ford is an outstanding athlete who shined at several combines. He was timed at 4.58 in the 40-yard dash, 3.9 seconds in the agility drill. He lifted 345-pound in the bench press, a 515-pound squat lift and did 22 reps with 225 pounds.
Ford was the MVP of the Madden IMG camp in Florida in February. The event was run by former Florida State and Cretin Derham Hall quarterback Chris Weinke, the 2000 Heisman Trophy winner.
GopherHole.com caught up with Ford after the game to learn the latest on his recruitment.
GH: What is the latest with your recruitment right now?
AF: Right now, I still don’t have any offers because the coaches are still waiting for me to display my breakaway speed that they are looking for. I am just trying to get a hold of more coaches as the recruiting process goes by.
GH: How many camps did you attend this summer?
AF: I only went to three. I went to Minnesota, Iowa State and Michigan State.
GH: How do you think that you performed there?
AF: I thought that I did okay. I still have little things to work on, but I like where I am right now. .
GH: Do you feel that you were able to pick up things in those camps and incorporate them into your game?
AF: Definitely. The way they help in terms of making my moves in the open field and as far as working on my hands.
.
GH: You are now part of a new team that is annually one of the top programs in the state. How was the adjustment been so far?
AF: It was been really nice. These guys have been really open and welcoming. I fir in right away. These guys are like family.
GH: You lost Prep Bowl standout running back Mitch Underhill in the opening game, but you and Erik Rotti are a great one-two punch.
AF: Definitely. Me and Erik knew that we had to pick it up because Underhill was part of our triple duo. We did what we were supposed to tonight and it obviously turned out all right.
GH: How pleased are you with your team’s play? You are off to a 2-0 start.
AF: I feel like we are doing really good. We are clicking and we just have to keep going.
GH: What type of things did you work on this summer to really improve yourself as a player?
AF: I really tried to work on my quickness and my hands. I am also working on my top end speed, so hopefully I’ll be able to display that.
GH: Have you talked about going to any college games in the next couple of weeks?
AF: I have been talking to Minnesota about going to theirs against New Mexico State, but I am taking the ACT. I might be going to the game against Miami of Ohio.
GH: How did you do on the ACT before?
AF: The last time I had a 17. I didn’t study, but now I have put in a lot of work on it and I feel that I will get a lot better score.