Why Dana Ford?

(St. Louis, MO) – Many great candidates were interviewed and researched by Missouri State’s search committee, so why did they land on one of the youngest coaches in America, who also has a losing head coaching record?

In other words, ‘Why Dana Ford?’

Ford’s record at Tennessee State can be dissected many ways. He was under .500 (57-65), but over the past three years he turned the program around and was over .500 (52-39), but after a 20-win season in 2016, the win totals went to 17 and then to 15, trending in the wrong direction.

So, ‘Why Dana Ford?’

He has worked with highly respected coaches like Gregg Marshall (both at Winthrop and Wichita State), Dan Muller (Illinois State), John Cooper (then at Tennessee State). College of Charleston head coach Earl Grant was also rumored to be a candidate for the Bears’ job, and he and Ford were assistants under Marshall.

Reputed to be a great recruiter, as an assistant coach, Ford is credited, at some level with bringing Fred VanVleet to Wichita, Deonte Hawkins, MiKyle McIntosh and Paris Lee to Illinois State, and Robert Covington to Tennessee State. Two of those players are in the NBA and numerous conference championships have followed those players.

Ford is characterized by enthusiasm, passion, diligence, integrity and faith. MSU President Clif Smart said Ford’s enthusiasm was contagious and his energy was impressive.

“Within the first 15 minutes of talking with Coach Ford, I was excited about him,” said Missouri State President Clif Smart. “I could tell he was extremely excited about Missouri State. He and his wife, Christina, have great personal stories. I don’t think we could have found a better fit.”

Coach Ford’s mantra ‘do the next right thing’ (see TSU’s Dana Ford – Part One – Doing the Next Right Thing) struck a chord with the MSU search committee.

ISU’s Dan Muller told me Ford is an outstanding coach.

“It is a homerun hire for Missouri State,” said Muller. “He’s going to do, not a good job, he’ll do a great job. He’s got some things you can’t teach. He’s a very talented coach.”

The 33-year-old Ford, routinely spoke of his faith in God and his desire to help others realize their full potential in basketball and in life.

“Three things characterize my life. My faith, my family and my program,” said Ford. “My faith is what leads my life. My family means everything to me (a fourth child is on the way in July). After today the program is no longer about me. It’s about the players.”

He wants to build around the players.

“This will be a players first program,” Ford shared. “They will be held accountable, but they will be loved unconditionally, and the greatest form of love is discipline. Discipline, not demeaning. Discipline for us is ‘do the next right thing’. If we do that, things take care of themselves.”

Muller, who counts Ford as one of his very best friends says Ford is a high character coach and a dynamic recruiter. Ford was an ‘Associate Head Coach’ at Illinois State.

“My degree of happiness couldn’t be any higher. He’s one of my closest friends. Really happy for him and his family with this opportunity,” said Muller. “They’re hiring a very young coach with a good amount of head coaching experience. We’re excited to beat them, but we’ll be rooting for them all but two games a year.”

Why Missouri State?

“I was hired at Tennessee State to build a winning foundation and we did that,” said Ford. “I was hired at Missouri State to win championships. Period. We have the best set up from top to bottom in the Missouri Valley Conference.”

Ford characterized the kinds of players he will be looking for, are players with TALENT, a great TEAMMATE and TOUGHNESS.

Ford won the press conference and admiration is pouring in from around the coaching world. He says the next order of business is to get his family home, hit the recruiting trail and then to get back to Springfield to get to know the current players.

He’ll be ‘doing the next right thing.’

Do Good