Staff / Erin Gray -- John Ford was named Roswell’s new head football coach last Thursday. Ford, who served as offensive coordinator last season, has 11 years of high school coaching experience and has been on the Hornets’ staff since 2008.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me because Roswell is such a special place and special school. The kids are great, the community embraces and understands Friday night lights and I’m excited to be continuing my career here,” said Ford shortly after being announced as head coach last week. “We have kids that are willing to work really hard and I have no doubt that the buy-in process with them will be tremendous.”
Ford, who turned 33 on Monday, takes over for previous head coach Justin Sanderson. Sanderson was let go in November after posting a 3-17 record during his two seasons as head coach — the school’s first losing seasons since 1994.
A 1998 graduate of Brookwood High School, Ford was a member of the Broncos 1996 state championship football team and 1997 Final Four team. He graduated from Clemson in 2002 with a degree in Spanish Education and has 11 years of high school football coaching experience at three different schools — Westside High School in Anderson, SC (2002-2005), Harrison High School (2005-2008) and Roswell (2008-present).
Ford credits much of his football acumen and coaching philosophies to his time spent under longtime Harrison coach Bruce Cobleigh and his first three years at Roswell under Leo Barker.
“Those two men in particular were fantastic football coaches but even better people; they both emulate everything I hope to be as a head coach at Roswell.
“Their primary focus was, more than anything, on making kids lives better and putting them into positions to be successful in life. From those two I learned the ‘art of coaching’, and I am grateful for it.”
As head coach, Ford said he knows the assignment and expectation is to get Roswell back to the elite level the Hornets enjoyed from 1981-2010 — posting 29 winning seasons and 20 state playoff appearances during that stretch.
“This community deserves region championships and playoff appearances and ultimately in this profession that is what I will be judged on. It will be part of my daily mission to work for and get back to that level.”
Ford went on to say that his coaching staff would be finalized in the coming months, but his work as head coach would begin immediately.
“I’m a guy that believes there is no detail too small, and that’s the mentality I’ll have on a day-to-day basis. As a team we have to get in the weight room and get stronger and faster heading into the spring and from there we’ll have a lot of work to do to replace some really good seniors off last year’s team.”
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