South Florida’s Mike Ford Dismissed from Football Program
February 25, 2010
There were high hopes at the University of South Florida after running back Mike Ford was named MVP of the International Bowl in January.
He put up a career high 207 yards in his team’s 27-3 victory over Northern Illinois and showed signs that he might live up to his potential.
It all came crashing down Wednesday when Ford, a Sarasota native, was dismissed from the USF football program.
In a statement from the athletic department, the shocking announcement came late in the day that Ford was dismissed for “violation of team rules.”
Ford has been in and out of trouble during his three years at USF and had been mostly an underachieving player prior to his breakout game in Toronto.
Ford was suspended early in the 2009 season for two games.
The 6-3, 220-pound power runner was in and out of trouble during his time at USF and the school did not reveal his latest rules transgression.
It was no doubt the first hard decision newly-hired coach Skip Holtz had to make.
“I’m disappointed for Mike more than anything else,” Holtz said in the prepared statement by the school.
It will no doubt come as a huge disappointment to USF fans. There were big expectations when Ford signed with USF, but he failed to live up to those lofty hopes.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
