7/9/2021 football Edit

Countdown to Kickoff: No. 55 Nick Ford

Sean Davenport • UteNation

Ute Nation

Today's countdown to kickoff brings us to the offensive side of the ball for no. 55 Nick Ford. Ford is a two-time All-Pac-12 offensive lineman, including first-team honors in 2020. Nick will be slated to start at center in 2021, but he has experience at each spot on the line. His football IQ is extremely high, and his ability to call out the assignments and in-play adjustments will be a great starting point for the offense this fall.

Ford has seen time in 30 games for the Utes, including 26 starts. After redshirting in 2017, Ford saw snaps in 11 games with seven starts (six at left guard, one at right tackle. In 2019, he flipped sides and started in all 14 games, with one start at right tackle and 13 at right guard on his way to an All-Pac-12 honorable mention. Finally, Ford started one game at left tackle and four at center in the shortened 2020 season.

UteNation Take

After three years of moving around the offensive line for Utah, Ford will be the lynchpin in the trenches this fall at center. At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, Ford has all of the tools to be an early-round NFL draft pick. As the most experienced lineman for the offense, Ford is the unquestioned leader. Nick played with a confidence beyond his years early into his Utah career and is now a seasoned veteran ready to lead a highly capable group. Even as an offensive lineman, Ford might just be the most crucial piece to the offense.

Alex remembers Ford’s recruitment

Nick Ford’s father Michael was involved in one of the wackiest plays in sports history: the Stanford and Cal band incident. Because of this, the Utes battled it out with the Golden Bears, for the late-blooming athlete that excelled both offensively and defensively. Ultimately, his dad didn’t put any pressure on him and Ford chose Ute, due to the culture, as well as his relationships with Harding, his recruiting area coach Sharrieff Shah, and Davir Hamilton. He was a silent commit in the last few weeks leading up to signing day 2016.

Ford was also trained by former Ute, Pene Talamaivao.