Eagle QB Ben Ford commits to Boise State football. Here’s why he stayed home.
Baseball or football: The choice weighed on Eagle High’s Ben Ford.
The senior possessed the elite speed (4.41 40-yard dash) and athleticism to play both at the Division I level. He struggled to pick one over the other and tried to pursue both.
But Ford made a final decision Tuesday, verbally committing to a full-ride scholarship to play football at Boise State. The two-star prospect, according to 247Sports, then signed Wednesday as part of national signing day.
“It was a big decision,” Ford told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday. “Me and my parents had a long conversation (Monday) night. That’s what kind of led me to the deciding factor this morning. Basically, if I’m going to go all in with one thing, what is the best opportunity right now?”
“It’s BSU football.”
The dual-threat quarterback said Boise State recruited him as a slot receiver. He’s the second FBS signee from Idaho this year. Moscow linebacker Jonah Elliss signed with Utah in December.
But Ford (5-11, 190 pounds) said he will take a grayshirt semester this fall to aid Boise State’s roster crunch. All current players received an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic. So Ford will join the team in January of 2022 and become a true freshman starting in the fall of 2022.
“What he does on the field, you can see his natural abilities at the wide receiver position,” Boise State coach Andy Avalos said during Wednesday’s signing press conference. “His ability to separate, with or without the football, his ability to catch the ball in traffic, and the mentality he brings to our program with how he plays the game.
“Those are all things that are important to us.”
Ford originally committed to play baseball at Washington on scholarship last year. But he admitted he panicked after a torn ACL ended his junior season early. He worried no one would want him and that he lost the opportunity to play football at the next level.
But a monster season this fall convinced recruiters otherwise as Ford returned better than ever. The state’s coaches voted him the 5A All-Idaho Player of the Year after he racked up 2,033 total yards and 26 TDs in eight games.
He threw for 977 yards with 14 TDs and three interceptions. He also ran for 1,056 yards and 12 TDs, averaging 11.5 yards per carry as one of the state’s most explosive players in years.
“He was a heck of a running quarterback,” Brandon Huffman, a national recruiting editor for 247Sports, told the Idaho Statesman. “He was committed to Washington baseball for a long time. But after his senior year, he not only saw the opportunity to play football, but to stay home.
“He could be a quarterback in some situations. But really, he’s just a guy who you find ways to get him the ball. He reminds me of Thomas Sperbeck in that what they played in high school and how they translate to the next level often vastly differ.”
Ford gambled in November, decommitting from Washington and trying to find a school where he could play both football and baseball.
Oregon State, Washington State and Utah offered him a preferred walk-on spot as a two-sport athlete. But none put official offers on the table. Meanwhile, Army, Idaho and Idaho State extended offers for Ford to play football.
Ford said Boise State only showed lukewarm interest at first. But that changed when the Broncos hired Avalos to replace Bryan Harsin.
Boise State officially extended an offer Jan. 27. Less than a week later, Ford committed to his hometown team.
“I just really like Avalos and what he’s doing there,” Ford said. “And all the guys at BSU really like him, as well. I think they are doing the right stuff there now, and I want to be a part of that.
“And playing as the hometown kid is going to be a great thing too.”
Boise State also signed the 5A All-Idaho Player of the Year last year in Borah’s Austin Bolt.
“The young men that come from this state have always done really, really well in this program,” Avalos said. “And so we’re really excited to be able to make the connections with him and his family. ... We’re very fortunate that he decided to join our brotherhood.”
Ford said he’s relieved to finally have his decision made. While he won’t join the Broncos for another year, he thinks he can make an impact in Boise and beyond.
“I think I can get out of Boise State and go to the NFL,” Ford said. “I believe in myself. I believe I can go in and make an impact.”
Two Rocky Mountain players will walk on at Boise State
Rocky Mountain High running back/wide receiver Jordan Erickson also verbally committed to the Broncos on Tuesday. He turned down offers from Army, Navy, Air Force, Idaho, UC Davis and San Diego to become a preferred walk-on at Boise State.
Erickson was a first-team, 5A All-Idaho wide receiver this fall. He helped lead the Grizzlies to an undefeated season and state championship. He finished with 1,365 all-purpose yards and 18 TDs, averaging 14.2 yards per touch.
Teammate Ty Tanner will also become a preferred walk-on at Boise State. The 6-2, 215-pound linebacker was another a first-team All-Idaho selection after averaging 10.7 tackles.
This story was originally published February 2, 2021 at 5:27 PM.
