Mike Ford Takes the Field as a Millionaire

SARASOTA - Former Sarasota High School and University of South Florida standout Mike Ford demonstrated that he still has big-play ability with a 50-yard scamper this past Saturday in the Sarasota Millionaires' 27-0 win over the Central Florida Tigers in the Christmas Classic at Booker High School's Tornado Alley.

Less than a year ago, Ford and his South Florida teammates were preparing for 2010 International Bowl opponent Northern Illinois. Ford would display his potential and vindicate his supporters by running for a career-best 207 yards at Toronto's Rogers Centre and winning game Most Valuable Player honors, but the 27-3 triumph over the Huskies turned out to be his final game with the program.

New South Florida head coach Skip Holtz dismissed Ford from the team for an unspecified violation of team rules last Feb 24. Ford's stormy three-year career with the Bulls included suspensions at the beginning of the 2007 and 2009 campaigns and two arrests for driving-related offenses.

"To all of my family, friends and fans, I made a mistake that I really, really regret and I apologize for that," Ford said in a statement prepared by South Florida following his dismissal. "I am responsible for my own actions. Please forgive me for I am only human. This will not be the last of Mike Ford. I will continue my dream, and I will graduate. Thank you to (former head) coach Jim Leavitt, coach Skip Holtz and coach Carl Franks. Once again, I apologize and will continue to push forward."

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Ford signed a contract with the Bradenton Gladiators and played for the Sarasota Millionaires' Florida Football Alliance rival last spring. He was signed to the practice squad of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts on Aug. 31, but was released three weeks later.

Ford's attempt at resurrecting his career has been stymied this year by a June arrest for misdemeanor domestic battery and an October arrest stemming from disagreements with his children's mother over visitation.

"I don't believe that we are taking a chance with Mike," said Calvin Williams, who is the Millionaires' Director of Football Operations and Player Personnel. "Our organization has been built upon giving young men second chances. We are hoping to provide another avenue for him to further his career and get him back on track. He's very young and talented. As an organization, we feel blessed to have the opportunity to help him."

Playing in an exhibition game with a minor-league football team may not seem so ideal for someone of the 24-year-old Ford's age and talent level. However, Ford has faced diminished prospects before.

Ford burst onto the area scene as a Riverview High sophomore by rushing for 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns on 178 carries in the fall of 2002. He transferred to Sarasota High in the summer of 2003 and played his final two high-school seasons with the Sailors, rushing for 1,075 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior and a Sarasota-Manatee-Charlotte area-record 2,836 yards and 37 scores as a senior.

On national signing day in February 2005, Ford inked a letter of intent with the University of Alabama. He did not meet the academic standards set forth by the NCAA and enrolled at Hargrave Military Academy for the 2005-06 school year.

By attending the Chatham, Va.-based prep school, Ford had the opportunity to work on his academics and play without being penalized a year of college eligibility. Still, the 2006 college football season came and went before all hurdles impending Ford's acceptance of a college scholarship offer were cleared.

Ford eventually enrolled at South Florida in January 2007 and participated in drills with the team that spring. In three seasons with the Bulls, he rushed for 1,502 yards and 23 touchdowns on 331 career carries.

Before the breakout performance in the International Bowl, Ford's sophomore and junior seasons were marred by a pair of ankle injuries and the failure to live up to a spectacular freshman season, which saw him win Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Louisville and have four multi-touchdown games. He scored just 11 rushing touchdowns and ran for a combined 867 yards after rushing for 645 yards and falling one rushing touchdown shy of tying the South Florida single-season record in 2007.

Shaking the underachiever may prove to be Ford's most difficult on-field task. Fortunately, he has the opportunity with the Millionaires to do just that.

He just has to do it as another player in a backfield littered with talent. According to Williams, Ford tallied two carries for 67 yards against the Tigers.

"We have a wealth of great running backs and all of them showed up (this past Saturday)," Williams said. "Mike Ford is a good player, but we have other good running backs in Glenn Woods, Dominick Grable and (former Sarasota High star and 2005 Class 6A Player of the Year) Antwan Graham. It's not going to be a cakewalk because he's Mike Ford. He's going to have to earn his keep."