THE TOUGH GET GOING?
Ford’s difficult job won’t be his much longer
The OSU men’s basketball coaching job has been a difficult one for Travis Ford, but it may not be his for much longer, Berry Tramel writes.
STILLWATER — Eddie Sutton always liked to say how hard of a job it was to coach hoops at OSU.
Even back in the golden days, when Gallagher-Iba roared and the Cowboys soared, Sutton would talk about how winning at his alma mater w wasn’t easy. Seemed sort of silly, since Sutton batted .40 .400 on making the Sweet 16 (six in 15 years) and .867 on mak making the NCAA Tournament (13 in 15 years). Wh When OSU basketball went to two Final Fours in a nineyear year spa span, the program’s continued ued succ success seemed secure, taking ing its p place among the nation’s b best t programs this side of the blueblooded Dukes and North Carolinas and Indianas.
But now we know what Sutton meant.
The Travis Ford era surely comes to a merciful end this week in the Big 12 Tournament. For a moment, forget the auxiliary issues of Ford’s 10-year contract and the fans’ abandonment of Gallagher-Iba. Simply look at Ford’s résumé.
Eight years, 55-65 conference record, one NCAA Tournament victory (seven years ago), one season with an upper division finish. In 2013, Marcus Smart’s freshman year, OSU went 13-5 in the Big 12 and secured the No. 3 seed in Kansas City.
The other seeds of the Ford era: seventh in both 2009 and 2010, 11th in 2011, seventh in 2012, eighth in 2014, sixth in 2015 and ninth in 2016.
Sure, Ford has had tough luck. Michael Cobbins’ injury wrecked OSU’s hopes for the 2014 season, and Darrell Williams’ legal troubles stripped the Cowboys of an interior presence in 2011 and 2012.
And it’s not like Ford took over a high-riding program. Sean Sutton’s three Big 12 Tournament seeds: seventh in 2006, seventh in 2007, ninth in 2008.
But still. One upper-division finish in eight years? Maybe Eddie Sutton himself could survive such a stretch of mediocrity, but no one else could and maybe not even Sutton.
“All jobs are hard, for different reasons, at every level,” Ford said. “They all have their challenges.”
In Ford’s defense, he’s coached his butt off. Last year seemed to be a total rebuilding year, but the Cowboys scratched their way to the NCAA Tournament. This year, with rampant injuries, OSU went 3-15 in the Big 12 but was remarkably competitive.
Truth is, in conference play, Ford’s team has fought harder than Lon Kruger’s Sooners, who remain in contention for a No. 1 NCAA seed.
“He’s been doing great,” said OSU sophomore Leyton Hammonds. “I can’t sit here and tell you that he’s not hurting. He doesn’t show us that. He’s our captain, he’s our chief. He shows he’s strong. He’s always ready to go. After a hard loss, he’s saying, ‘Guys, we have to move on.’ ”
Ford hasn’t lost his players, which is a noble feat for a coach of a losing team. Ford has kept a stiff upper lip.
He still coaches hard, still appeals to the refs, still encourages young guys against great odds. But on occasion, during games, you can see a blank expression appear that never used to come across his face.
Ford has to know that dusk nears on his Stillwater days. Has to know that one upper-division finish in eight years won’t cut it, even at a school that has shifted its passion to football. Has to know that this hard job won’t be his concern much longer.