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Ford Swaps Frustration for Focus

October 24, 2017

By Tim Robinson
Special for Second Half

Midway through the 2016 season, Marcus Ford was frustrated. 

He was on the Pinckney football team, but not playing much.

A big part of that was due to his size — 6-foot-5 and over 400 pounds — but then-defensive coordinator Rod Beaton sensed there was more.

“We feel that we coach very hard,” said Beaton, now Pinckney’s head coach. “We’re very aggressive (on the varsity), and sometimes it’s an adjustment for juniors to understand that when they come out here, there’s expectations.

“There were a couple times where Marcus was questioning … whether football was for him.”

“I didn’t want to be there,” Ford said. “I thought, ‘This is stupid. Why am I here so late?’”

And then came a change.

“It came to a point where he went home and took a day off to re-gather himself,” Beaton said. “Marcus came back and he said to me, ‘Coach, I really want to be a part of things here.’”

And Ford did more than that. 

He grew from a young man who bristled when his coaches pointed out mistakes to one who doesn’t react as if it were a personal attack, from an overweight kid who admits he was on his way to weighing 600 pounds to a big kid who is a key part of Livingston County’s most successful football team as a senior.

He rarely comes out of games, his coach says, and the quiet giant who rarely interacted with his teammates has transformed into a happy, smiling kid who dishes out and takes teasing from them.

It’s a story of transformation that only football could have done for Marcus Ford, who couldn’t play youth football because of his size and whose options for high school athletics seemed limited to football for the same reason. 

“I may sound a little clichéd and corny,” Beaton said, “but I think this is why every single coach in America coaches football, to watch the development of a young man, from freshman to sophomore to junior and to see what football has done for him.”

How did Ford do it?

He turned his mental approach 180 degrees and made drastic changes to his diet and work ethic. 

One clue came in looking at Pinckney’s roster from 2016 compared to 2017. Last year, Ford was listed at 380, which was about 40 pounds less than his actual weight.

This year, he’s listed at 405, which is a dozen pounds more than what he weighs now.

Last year, he played mostly in mop-up roles.

This year, he is a starter on defense, regularly occupying two blockers at a time, which in turn frees linebackers Cauy Hendee and Levi Collins to make tackles. 

“I can play a lot longer,” he said. “I was tired when we were out there, but we don’t believe in the word ‘tired.’ We prefer ‘winded.’ We just need to catch our breath. So I get ‘winded’ a lot less.”

The first thing Marcus decided to change was his diet, and he got his cues by looking in the mirror. 

“I didn’t like the muffin cap that was hanging down,” he said. “I didn’t like my stomach hanging over. ... I thought, ‘I don’t what to have a heart attack at age 25.’ I was doing ‘diets,’ per se, but eventually I thought, ‘This is stupid. Cut out pop and eat better,’ And I did.

“The only thing I would eat that was green was green beans, and they had to be made a certain way,” he said. “Now, I’m more like ‘this is somewhat appetizing. Let me try that.’ I don’t eat candy bars anymore. I don’t eat ice cream when my family does. I drink a lot less milk than I used to, and I drink more water.”

Pinckney offensive coordinator Cody Patton noticed.

“His mom came to me about getting a weight plan, and he stuck with it,” Patton said. “They can only do so much in the weight room. When they leave, there’s not much you can control what they put into their bodies.”

But Ford also changed his mindset about football and being coached.

“His first real commitment was ninth-grade high school football, and it was a big adjustment for him,” Beaton said. “We knew there would be days where he might be a little confrontational, there may be some days where he goes through the motions.”

But after that midseason meeting last year, Ford redoubled his efforts in practice and in the offseason.

The first hint that he was a different player came in June, when Ford earned the team’s first bone helmet sticker of the season for effort in a drill.

“It was our first pursuit drill,” Beaton said. “We go four downs, and those kids have to sprint. There’s no exception. Marcus stepped to his gap, made his reads, flew to the football and didn’t say a word, every single time. He did it four times in a row. It really set the stage. I could tell he was wanting do to things right this year.

“When you see a 6-5, 400-pound kid moving with effort and tenacity, you sit there and go, ‘That young man can help us.’” 

And so he has. 

As a result, Marcus Ford is part of a Pinckney defense that has lifted the Pirates to an 8-1 regular-season record and shared Southeastern Conference White championship. He has transformed from a player who had little stamina to one who can go from opening kickoff to final horn.

“He can play a whole football game,” Beaton said. “He can go through a whole practice. One of the challenges we were talking about in the offseason is he has to put his body and mind in a position to not come off the field.”

That moment came on a warm night early in the season.

“We were in a huddle at Chelsea, and it was late,” Beaton recalled. “He’s drenched in sweat, and I said, ‘Marcus, you need a breather?’ And he said, ‘No, coach. I’m ready.’ That’s pretty cool.”

Asked his ideal weight, Ford said, “I would like to be at 250 if I could,” then laughs. His bone structure is such that at his height, he would be almost gaunt at 250. “I would settle for 340. That’s the dream within a dream goal.”

Next year, he plans to attend college. 

“I want to go into bartending or being a head chef, or get a business degree,” he said. “One other choice is going to a police academy. As long as I can run a mile within 15 minutes, I should be good.”

There’s no reason, now, to think he couldn’t accomplish that. 

He got his first sack against Dexter.

‘I grabbed him and rolled him over on top of me,” Marcus said. “I would have liked to have landed on him, but I got him down in the backfield. It’s good.”

And football now is fun.

“A lot more fun,” he said. 

“Marcus made a concerted effort to our strength and agility program,” Beaton said. “It wasn’t two days at a time, then not be there five or six days. Marcus was there. He would stay after everyone had left and get some extra lifts in or do some extra work to make sure he was putting himself in a (good) position.

“He said, ‘Coach, I want to be your starting nose (tackle).’ The first day of June camp, he ran out to the nose tackle, and we haven’t looked back.”

PHOTO: (Top) A pair of Pinckney blockers try to contain nose tackle Marcus Ford during a practice this season. (Middle) Ford breaks free to get an arm on a ball carrier. (Photos by Tim Robinson.)

A Davison defender applies pressure as Lapeer takes to the air Friday.

1st & Goal: 2023 Week 6 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 2, 2023

We have our first league champions of the 2023 football season, and setups for several deciding matchups to come over the next week or two.

MI Student AidExplanations of many of those make up most of our “Week 6 Review” – but with playoff selection now just three weeks away, you’ll notice our attention has become focused as well on those races for the 32 qualifying spots in our MHSAA 11-player divisions and top 16s that make the 8-player brackets.

The state rankings mentioned frequently below are Michigan High School Football Coaches Association polls. The playoff-point averages are tracked by the MHSAA and used to determine the postseason fields – and discussion of movement on those lists will be prevalent through the rest of the regular season.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Almont 30, Croswell-Lexington 20 Almont set itself up to clinch a share of the Blue Water Area Conference title this week or next by moving into first place alone in this matchup of co-leaders heading into the weekend. The Division 6 No. 2 Raiders (6-0) also tied their win totals of both of the last two seasons as they made another move toward potentially their best finish since 2019. Croswell-Lexington (5-1), No. 8 in Division 4, will be rooting for Richmond this week and Yale next to deal Almont a loss that would set up a possible shared league title. Click for more from the Port Huron Times Herald.

Watch list Fenton 40, Linden 32 After sharing the Flint Metro League Stripes title with Linden and Swartz Creek last season, Fenton (5-1) clinched a share of this season’s championship and left Linden (4-2) holding out hope for a share if Flushing can upset the Tigers this week.

On the move Chesaning 28, Ovid-Elsie 19 Chesaning (5-1) can clinch a share of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title this week or next after stopping Ovid-Elsie (3-3) in its attempt to reset the standings. Marine City 36, Madison Heights Lamphere 13 Marine City (5-1) clinched a share of the Macomb Area Conference Silver championship with one more league game to play, sending Lamphere to 4-2. Grand Blanc 44, Lapeer 26 The Saginaw Valley Red is a two-team race with Grand Blanc (4-2) and Davison the only teams left undefeated in league play, and Lapeer (4-2) joining Saginaw Heritage with a second league loss and tied for third.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Macomb Dakota 31, Romeo 19 The Macomb Area Conference Red is one of the most monitored leagues in the state every season because of the powerful Division 1 contenders that traditionally emerge – and four have a chance to emerge as league champion this month. Romeo entered the weekend alone in first, but now four teams are 3-1 in league play with one game to go and co-champions guaranteed with those four teams facing off across two matchups this week. Click for more from the Macomb Daily.

Watch list Gibraltar Carlson 28, Trenton 23 Carlson (5-1) lined itself up to face Allen Park in Week 8 for some piece of the Downriver League title, as those two teams are left as undefeated in league play – although Trenton (4-2) could break things up a bit as the Trojans face Allen Park this week.

On the move Belleville 35, Westland John Glenn 8 Belleville (6-0) and Week 8 opponent Dearborn Fordson remain alone atop the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East after the Tigers dealt John Glenn (5-1) this first loss. Clarkston 44, West Bloomfield 36 After an 0-2 start, Clarkston (4-2) has won four straight and set itself up to face Lake Orion this week for a winner-take-all matchup in the Oakland Activities Association Red. The win also pushed the Wolves from 10 spots behind West Bloomfield (4-2) to three ahead on the Division 1 playoff points list. Detroit Voyageur 34, Detroit Edison 32 The Cougars (4-2) bounced back from a Week 5 loss to deal a second straight to Edison (4-2), which entered the week ranked No. 9 in the Division 6 coaches poll. The win also brought Voyageur back into the Division 6 playoff picture at No. 25 on the playoff points list after it had fallen back to No. 34.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Corunna 35, Goodrich 7 This has to rank at or near the top of the wins Corunna (6-0) has piled up over its recent resurgence, as it not only guaranteed the Cavaliers a share of the Flint Metro League Stars title but also handed the first loss to the No. 2-ranked team in Division 4. Corunna, ranked No. 5 in Division 5, led 28-0 at halftime on the way to its first win over the Martians (5-1) since 2016. Click for more from the Flint Journal.

Watch list Pewamo-Westphalia 27, Fowler 14 After losing its opener to still-undefeated North Muskegon, P-W has won its last five and sits atop the Central Michigan Athletic Conference standings with two league games to play. Fowler (5-1) had defeated the Pirates last season to create a three-way CMAC shared title between those two and Laingsburg.

On the move DeWitt 41, Grand Ledge 38 The last two meetings between these two have come down to seven points or fewer, with last year’s Grand Ledge win helping the Comets (5-1) share the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title and this year’s DeWitt win knocking Grand Ledge out of first place while keeping the Panthers (3-2) in the mix. Beal City 30, Evart 16 The matchup for first place in the Highland Conference went to Beal City (6-0), which can clinch with another win over the next two weeks while second-place Evart (4-2) will need help to get a share. New Lothrop 34, Montrose 8 New Lothrop’s MMAC title hopes dimmed with a Week 2 loss to Chesaning, but the Hornets (5-1) are up to No. 9 in Division 8 playoff-points average with two wins over Division 6 schools and this one over the Division 7 Rams (4-2).

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Charlevoix 30, Elk Rapids 7 The Division 7 No. 9 Rayders (5-1) continued to roll through Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders play, clinching a share of the league title with their fifth-straight win overall this season. Charlevoix can finish the championship outright in Week 8 at Tawas, and its final three regular-season opponents are combined 3-15 – making a fourth-straight season reaching eight wins look like a growing possibility. Click for more from the Petoskey News-Review.

Watch list Petoskey 36, Cadillac 21 There’s definitely work to do over the next three weeks for Petoskey (4-2) to make the playoffs, but the Northmen have guaranteed their best finish since 2018 – the last time they’d defeated Cadillac (3-3). They sit No. 23 on the Division 3 playoff points list.

On the move Benzie Central 31, Boyne City 24 The Huskies (3-3) will need Tawas’ help to catch a share of that Leaders title, but in avenging last season’s 51-35 loss to Boyne City (2-4) they’ve moved closer to possibly earning their best finish since 2018. Lake City 28, McBain 22 (2OT) The Trojans (4-2) defeated McBain (4-2) by six points for the second-straight season, this time helping them hold steady at the No. 23 spot on the Division 6 playoff points list. Ogemaw Heights 47, Flint Powers Catholic 9 Ogemaw Heights (5-1) ran its winning streak to five as it heads into this week’s NMFC Legends decider against Kingsley.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Michigan Center 32, Grass Lake 27 Michigan Center’s next two weeks will be massive, but the Cardinals earned that billing. By avenging last season’s 36-29 loss to Grass Lake (4-2), Michigan Center (5-1) upped what’s at stake in this week’s matchup with Napoleon as those share the lead in the Cascades Conference East – and with third-place Manchester waiting in Week 3 with its only loss to Napoleon. Click for more from JTV.

Watch list Parma Western 21, Battle Creek Harper Creek 6 The Panthers (6-0) also have set up a matchup of league co-leaders, downing third-place Harper Creek (4-2) on the way to this week’s meeting with Hastings for first in the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference.

On the move Jackson Northwest 23, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 14 Northwest (3-3) has made massive strides the last two seasons, and this win has to rank up there as AAGR (5-1) had dominated its first five opponents. Adrian 22, Jackson 9 This Adrian win, along with Chelsea’s over Tecumseh, gave Chelsea a share of the Southeastern Conference White title – although if Jackson (4-2) defeats Chelsea this week, those two and possibly Adrian all could share the championship. Saline 43, Ann Arbor Huron 7 Saline (6-0) held onto its one-game lead in the SEC Red and sent Huron (3-3) into a third-place tie. The Hornets finish the league schedule with the seventh and eighth-place teams as they look to claim what would be a ninth Red title over the last decade but after finishing second a year ago.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Constantine 50, Allegan 14 Five of six teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore are .500 or better, and Constantine is leading the way at 5-1 and as one of three contenders that have started league play 2-0. The Division 6 No. 7 Falcons scored their season high in bringing some separation to the league standings by sending Allegan to 4-2. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Watch list Niles Brandywine 30, Dowagiac 7 Brandywine may be only 2-4, but the Bobcats moved up from No. 46 to 33 on the Division 7 playoff-points list by stunning Division 5 Dowagiac (4-2). Brandywine has another Division 5 opponent next in Benton Harbor.

On the move Berrien Springs 35, Buchanan 14 This win, combined with Brandywine’s over Dowagiac, put Berrien Springs (3-2) alone in first place in the Lakeland Conference – and after a 20-14 loss to Buchanan (3-3) last season cost the Shamrocks the league title. Richland Gull Lake 27, Benton Harbor 16 Gull Lake (4-2) already has bettered its record from a year ago, and with two wins over the next three weeks would post its best finish since 2009. Paw Paw 35, Edwardsburg 0 The Red Wolves (6-0) ended a 15-game losing streak against the rival Eddies (3-3) sending them out of first place in the Wolverine Conference while maintaining a tie for the top spot with Niles.

Negaunee's Ian Engstrom (5) tries to catch a pass just a little bit out of his reach.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Menominee 44, Gladstone 26 One down, two to go as Western Peninsula Athletic Conference leader Menominee began a difficult three-game run against the three teams that entered the weekend tied for second in the league. Following Landan Bardowski among others, the Maroons (6-0) scored the most points Gladstone had given up in a game since 2017 – although Gladstone (4-2) also did some fine work offensively against a Menominee defense that had allowed just six points total over the first five weeks. Click for more from RRN Sports.

Watch list Marquette 38, Escanaba 20 After playing an old rival as part of a new league, Marquette (3-2) is tied for second in the Big North Conference but more notably has equaled last season’s win total and sits among the top 32 on the Division 3 playoff-points list for the second-straight week.

On the move Calumet 17, Houghton 16 The Copper Kings (2-4) broke a three-game losing streak and now have 10 spots to climb to qualify for the Division 6 playoffs, but with some valuable opportunities to do so. Iron Mountain 55, Manistique 14 The Mountaineers (6-0) clinched a share of the West-PAC Iron championship with another big performance; they have won all of their games by at least 40 points. Sault Ste. Marie 50, Maple City Glen Lake 7 Sault Ste. Marie (4-2) bounced back from a Week 5 loss to Marquette to hold steady among the top 32 on the Division 4 playoff-points list, while Glen Lake (3-3) remains among the qualifying group in Division 8.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 20, East Grand Rapids 0 There was notable reshuffling in the Ottawa-Kent Conference White over the weekend, as the league has six teams 4-2 or better and four tied for first thanks in part to FHC’s shutout of the Pioneers. The Rangers (5-1), No. 2 in Division 3, now share the top spot with EGR (5-1), Lowell and Byron Center. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.

Watch list Spring Lake 35, Allendale 28 The O-K Blue has five teams at 4-2 or better, with Grand Rapids West Catholic alone at the top after Spring Lake (5-1) rebounded from a Week 5 loss to GRWC to hand Allendale (5-1) this defeat. But Spring Lake also just became Allendale’s biggest fan – Allendale gets West Catholic this week.

On the move Lowell 38, Byron Center 28 Matching Forest Hills Central, Lowell also fought back into the O-K Blue race as these two join FHC and EGR as 3-1 in the league and 5-1 overall. Muskegon 49, Zeeland East 14 The Big Reds (4-2) have won four straight to start the O-K Green schedule and set up this week’s meeting with co-leader Zeeland West. Impressive as well, Muskegon’s last three opponents, including East, are 4-2. Caledonia 30, Hudsonville 0 Division 2 top-ranked Caledonia (5-1) has followed up its loss to Rockford two weeks ago with two power-packed wins, in this one handing Hudsonville (4-2) its first shutout since 2012.

8-Player

HEADLINER Adrian Lenawee Christian 73, Mendon 20 Lenawee Christian (6-0) put up 63 of those points in the first half, fully justifying its top ranking in Division 2 – and the Cougars could be considered the top team in all of 8-player as Division 1 top-ranked St. Ignace joined No. 2 Mendon (5-1) in losing for the first time over the weekend. Sam Lutz ran for four touchdowns and threw for four more for the Cougars, while Jack McCaw ran for 210 yards and three scores for Mendon. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.

Watch list Newberry 46, St. Ignace 40 Newberry (5-1) has won a playoff game each of the last three seasons and is hardly an unknown – but St. Ignace (5-1) had won all but one of its games this fall by double digits, making this an even more impressive result.

On the move Brown City 60, Mayville 0 This was another matchup of undefeated teams, and Brown City now sits alone atop the North Central Thumb League Stars with Mayville (5-1) and Kingston a game back. Crystal Falls Forest Park 36, Lake Linden-Hubbell 28 With Lake Linden-Hubbell (3-3) dealing Powers North Central a loss two weeks ago, the Great Lakes Eight Conference West has a different look at the top for the first time in a while with Norway leading the way but Forest Park (5-1) also in the mix if the Knights trip up. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 25, Fulton 18 The Irish (6-0) have a one-game lead on Portland St. Patrick in the Mid-State Activities Conference with this win over Fulton (4-2) joining a Week 3 one-pointer over the Shamrocks as key reasons why.

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PHOTOS (Top) Grand Blanc's Jimmy Lacy (13) applies pressure as Lapeer takes to the air Friday. (Middle) Negaunee's Ian Engstrom (5) tries to catch a pass just a little bit out of his reach. (Top photo by Terry Lyons, middle photo by Cara Kamps.)