CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Danny Ford had an offer to coach at ECU

Danny Ford had an offer to coach at ECU


by - Assoc. Editor -

Former legendary Clemson coach Danny Ford had three job offers over the years including East Carolina in November 2004.

East Carolina AD Terry Holland, who has been long-time friends with Ford, asked him if he would coach the Pirates after they only won three games in two seasons with coach John Thompson.

“We thought it was a long shot, but we thought it was at least worth exploring,” Holland told USA TODAY Sports. “He seemed to fit East Carolina in terms of the kind of school we are and the kind of football program we wanted as well.”

Ford and his wife were concerned about their family life if they got back into the grind of coaching.

“We called Danny and talked to him a long time before we ever even started talking to Skip,” Holland said. “But he just wasn’t quite willing to commit himself, so we started looking at other folks and interviewed Skip and really liked him and felt like he could do the job here.”

“It turned out well,” Holland said. “But I still always wonder what would’ve happened if Danny had” taken the job.

The 67-year old former coach seems to have no regrets while he continues to work his 174-acre farm in Central.

Ford said, “I’ve learned there are more things in life than being a football coach, and a lot of people never learn that.”

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