OU's monster lineman no longer waiting on the sidelines
After the storm clouds had retreated, Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford believed Sept. 17, 2016, would be a special night. He was about to start his third career start. This one on a radiant college football stage at Owen Field.
“I was a redshirt freshman playing against The Ohio State. I knew that was a money game for me. It was gonna put me out there in front of the NFL scouts and get me some recognition,” Ford recalled on Tuesday after the Sooners’ first spring practice.
In every way imaginable, the night failed to equal Ford’s ambition. The Sooners lost, 45-24, dropping to 1-2 on the season. Ford departed Owen Field on a medical cart. A broken leg meant all that pent up angst about showing what he could on the big stage still lacked an outlet to release it.
Six months have passed since the injury. Ford is healthy and has been for a while. When OU closed the 2016 season with the Allstate Sugar Bowl victory over Auburn, Ford was medically cleared to play. He went through all of the bowl preparation. Still, the last time he played was that Ohio State game.
That night still leaves a bad taste in the Louisiana native’s mouth. It was supposed to be his breakout performance. He spent October and November watching from the sidelines as the Sooners’ offensive line harmonized into one of the better units of the last two decades.
“I missed it when I went down,” Ford said. “The day I went down I knew I was gonna miss a lot of success. I knew they would do great.”
This spring, Ford has to earn the job he vacated back.
The daily competition within that group should be the fiercest at OU’s practice fields. Ford, who seemed like a candidate to be four-year starter six months ago has to earn the starting job back after Ben Powers, who is now a junior, played so well.
Want to know why OU’s expectation is to pick up where it left off following the 2016 season? It’s because of players like Ford.
Baker Mayfield’s presence is substantial. But even after losing running backs like Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine to the NFL, the belief is OU can keep on trucking because of that offensive line.
“We absolutely expect it to be,” offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley said when asked if the Sooners’ collection of offensive linemen is the best he’s been around.
Ford stands out amongst that group. Left tackle Orlando Brown is taller, but no one casts a more imposing shadow than Ford. He’s 6-foot-4 and 363 pounds. His wardrobe is pricey just because of the amount of fabric required.
OU coach Bob Stoops couldn’t help but use the word that best describes Ford’s frame when asked about the impact of his return.
“Having him back is going to be huge,” he said. “We’re going to have some depth in there that spells some guys a little more maybe, but Big Cody is another monster in there with Big Orlando.”
What Ford wants is that monster season he thought he was on the verge of igniting before the broken leg. The way he sees it, he’s had one good game in his short career. It didn’t come against Houston in last season’s opener. The meeting with the Buckeyes was incomplete. Only the one game against Louisiana-Monroe stands out.
But Ford knows he’s better despite missing out on 10 possible game experiences last season.
“I’m a lot further (along),” he said. “I’m starting to move better. I am faster and more comfortable with myself.”
All those ambitions Ford had for 2016 season are still around. The same stages are coming in September. Ford knows it.