Coaching drives Ford to Kent State top man
Once surrounded by future NBA stars, one former Bobcat standout has found his fit back in the MAC—as a coach
By Zach Swartz, Staff Writer
May 1, 2008 | 3 p.m.
In 1997, four out of five of the Mid-American Conference’s First-Team All-Conference selections went on to make future careers in the NBA. The Ohio Bobcats' Geno Ford was the fifth. But as it turns out, that’s just fine with him.
The Mid-American Conference’s First-Team All-Conference selections consisted of Miami University’s Wally Szczerbiak, Bowling Green State University’s Antonio Daniels, Ball State University’s Bonzi Wells, Eastern Michigan University’s Earl Boykins and Ohio University’s Geno Ford. While the rest went on to the NBA, one was not able to make that next step.
Graduating with a degree in organizational communication, Geno Ford ended his senior year fifth on Ohio’s all-time scoring list (1,752 points) and fourth all-time in three-point field goals made (202). Unlike the other four, all of whom are still playing in the NBA, Ford’s All-MAC honors, 1994 NCAA Tournament and 1995 NIT experiences led him on a different route.
While working to earn his master’s degree in athletic administration at Ohio, which he earned in 1999, Ford worked as an assistant coach for his alma mater.
He moved on in 2001, and after a yearlong stint as head coach of Shawnee State University, Ford returned to the MAC in 2002 as an assistant coach at Kent State. Following a period as head coach at Muskingum College from 2005 to 2007, Ford returned to Kent State this past season to help coach the Golden Flashes to a 28-7 record, a MAC regular-season and Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
When Kent State lost coach Jim Christian to Texas Christian University March 29, it did not take the university long to name the former Bobcat head coach.
From his days in the Convocation Center, Ford knew this was what he wanted to do.
“I knew that I wanted to be a coach long term,” Ford said. “Did I see myself being a head coach in the conference? I don’t know, probably not. Basically in the back of my mind I always wanted to get the opportunity to be a head coach at this level. I love our league.”
The star-player-turned-coach has proven himself to be more than apt for a head coaching position in this league. During his time at Kent State, Ford helped post a .708 winning percentage, win two MAC East Division titles and bring three consecutive NIT appearances. At Shawnee State and Muskingum, he went a combined 51-32.
These experiences, he says, have prepared him to make this next step in his coaching career.
“I’ve been fortunate being a head coach for three seasons already,” Ford said. “Certainly [Shawnee State and Muskingum] were a lower level in terms of affiliation, but the jobs are strikingly similar. It’s still the same game. When you get an opportunity to be a head coach, you learn a lot more from mistakes than you do from sitting down two seats and just making suggestions.”
Despite his decade of coaching experience, Ford cannot forget the time he spent playing in his green-and-white number 12. Because of this, making the transition from MAC player to MAC coach was one of the most difficult ideas to grasp.
“It felt very strange coming out the opposite tunnel [at the Convo] for the first time,” an arena in which ironically he is 0-4 as a coach, but, Ford says, one of the most important things he has learned is that the games are no longer about him.
“You have to treat it like any other game because although it might be a big game for me personally, it’s no bigger game for our kids than it is playing any other big MAC schools. I’m not out there playing,” he said. “Sometimes I wish I was, but I’m sure our fans will be thankful I’m not.”
At age 33, despite these occasional urges to run onto the floor himself, Ford has light-heartedly accepted that his playing days are over.
“I just miss being able to run down the floor one time and not feel like I’m going to keel over,” Ford joked. “That court gets a lot farther every year. Playing is a lot easier than coaching, though. When you’re not doing well as a coach, sometimes you spend the whole time searching for answers, and some nights there aren’t any, unfortunately.”
There is no envy in his voice when Ford talks about the NBA stars against whom he once competed. Although he could have been among them, there is no doubt in his mind that coaching, not the NBA, is where he belongs.
“I was 5-foot-7 and spent,” Ford said. “I don’t think I had too many illusions of the NBA.”
---