Keith Ford Suspended Indefinitely: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction
Oklahoma running back Keith Ford has been suspended indefinitely by the school for an undisclosed violation of team rules and academic issues, Sooners head coach Bob Stoops confirmed Monday (via Oklahoma Football's Twitter account):
Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World reported that Ford's parents issued a statement on the suspension:
Keith Ford Sr., Ford's father, expanded on what exactly has led to the suspension, via Ryan Gerbosi of The Dallas Morning News:
"Attendance was a big issue. He’s working on it. That’s across the board, attendance in academics and participating in football activities. If you’re late at anything at OU, you suffer some penalty. People take that statement (violation of team rules) and they really don’t understand what it means unless you’re a player or a player’s parent. And then you realize there are several rules in regards to your participation. What you do academically can affect what you do on the field. There’s a connection.
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Ford, who is heading into his junior season, rushed for 392 yards and five touchdowns last season. He was widely expected to compete with Alex Ross, Joe Mixon and a cabal of others for carries behind breakout star Samaje Perine.
Ford was one of the nation's best prep running backs in the 2013 class, ranking fourth in 247Sports' composite rankings. Given the depth the Sooners have at running back, it's unlikely their offense fades too much in Ford's absence. Perine and Ross combined for more than 2,000 yards in 2014, and Mixon was the top overall running back in last year's class.
With five months between now and Oklahoma's season opener against Akron, it's also very possible Ford's off-the-field troubles will be resolved.
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