WVU football legend Garrett Ford Sr. has passed away at the age of 80 following a prolonged illness, WVU athletics announced. He died Sunday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of the most impactful players and administrators in Mountaineer history.
Ford played running back for West Virginia from 1965 to 1967 and was a pioneer in the program’s record books. He became the first Mountaineer to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season and the first to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards. During his three-year career, Ford accumulated 2,167 rushing yards, scored 16 rushing touchdowns, and totaled 20 touchdowns overall, finishing with 120 career points and eight 100-yard rushing performances.
His most celebrated performance came in the 1965 Backyard Brawl against Pitt, when he dominated the game with 192 rushing yards and 268 all-purpose yards. Ford piled up 133 rushing yards in the second quarter alone, helping WVU secure a memorable 63–48 victory over its rival.
After his collegiate career, Ford was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and spent one season with the team. He later returned to Morgantown in 1970, where he broke new ground once again as WVU’s first African American assistant football coach under Bobby Bowden.
Ford’s contributions to the university extended beyond coaching. He joined the athletic department as an academic counselor in 1977, became assistant athletic director in 1985, and was promoted to associate athletic director in 2002. His achievements were honored with inductions into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and the School of Physical Education Hall of Fame in 2004. Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized, though WVU officials have discussed the possibility of a memorial service in Morgantown.
