Darrell Walker can’t help but draw parallels to the Arkansas basketball program when describing the plight of this past season.
When discussing the raft of injuries that played a big role in his UALR Trojans’ disappointing season, Walker brought up current standouts at the school where he himself had starred more than four decades ago: “It’s like taking (Darius) Acuff and (Meleek) Thomas off of Arkansas’ team — and I didn’t even say (Trevon) Brazile and Billy Richmond,” Walker told Best of Arkansas Sports.
“You think they’re going to be the same team? Not a chance.”
Also unavoidable is the way that, if you squint hard enough, you can see ties to the state’s flagship program in aspects of almost every Division I coaching search that happens in the area.
That includes the CV of one potential candidate to replace Walker, who was fired last Friday.
Travis Ford, one of nation’s most veteran available college coaches, emerged a name to watch when Rex Nelson, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist and the voice of the Ouachita Baptist Tigers, posted on Sunday that Ford is a “hot rumor” for the position.
In 27 years of Division I head coaching, Ford has made the NCAA tournament seven times, including five in eight seasons at Oklahoma State where he produced an All-American in James Anderson. But before building his resume on the sidelines, Ford first carved out his name on the court.
Born in Madisonville, Ky., Ford started his collegiate basketball journey as a player at Missouri. After one season, the 5-foot-9 point guard transferred back to his home state’s team, Kentucky, where he was teammates with former Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey.
There, he hit his stride.
In his final two seasons with the Wildcats, Ford averaged at least 11.3 points per game. In fact, he played a key role in Arkansas’ final loss of the historic national championship season in 1994. The Razorbacks came up short against No. 10 Kentucky in the SEC Tournament with the help of Ford’s five three-pointers.
Three years later, Ford landed his first head coaching gig at NAIA Campbellsville before moving again back to the Blue Grass State to lead Eastern Kentucky, where he spent five seasons. Then he moved to the northeast to coach at UMass, 10 years after Arkansas head coach John Calipari led the Minutemen.
Travis Ford with the Cowboys
Ford is perhaps best known for his time at Oklahoma State.
