Ford's hard work earns Clemson scholarship offer

Hanahan receiver ends recruiting process early so he can concentrate only on Hawks' team goals

Hanahan receiver ends recruiting process early so he can concentrate only on Hawks' team goals

Mic Smith
The Post and Courier

Brandon Ford numbers were impressive as the Hanahan Hawks' No. 2 wide receiver last fall. But what earned Ford a scholarship offer from the Clemson Tigers was his hard work in the offseason.

Brandon Ford had some impressive statistics as the Hanahan Hawks' No. 2 wide receiver last fall, catching 57 passes for 605 yards and five touchdowns.

And while the numbers were impressive, what earned Ford a football scholarship offer from the Clemson Tigers was his hard work in the offseason.

The 6-4, 205-pound senior pumped iron, pushed himself in sprints and distance running, and persevered when schools didn't seem that interested. But he had standout performances in summer camps at South Carolina, Georgia, Clemson, Tennessee and Charleston Southern. He committed in late July when the Tigers offered.

"The thing is he's worked on his speed, he's worked on his strength," Hanahan coach Jeff Cruce said. "He's gotten stronger and faster, but the best thing about Brandon is he's an outstanding kid. Brandon got (scholarship) offers as our No. 2 receiver. I think that speaks volumes of his work ethic."

Ford will be John Carnell's No. 1 target this year. Carnell passed for 3,200 yards last year, when Rubin Coaxum was the primary target, catching 63 passes for 1,203 yards and 10 touchdowns.

"Rubin was my first cousin, so we had fun because we were competitive," Ford said. "At first, I had more catches than him. But he caught up. This year,

I'm ready to step up and be the No. 1 receiver."

Ford said his hard work was proof that he wants to be a leader this fall. "When we were in the weight room, I worked hard and made sure the other players worked hard. I tried to show good leadership qualities. I told the guys we have to do the right thing and stay out of trouble."

The recruiting was heating up when Ford committed to Clemson. He said that offers from Georgia and South Carolina were on the way. "But Clemson wanted me the most. I didn't want to worry about recruiting during my senior season. All I want to worry about are team goals. I want to help keep our region championship streak intact. I want to help us go as far as possible and win the state championship."

The Palmetto State has a bumper crop of wide receivers this year. Summerville's A.J. Green is the top receiver in the state. Ford checks in at No. 4 on the SCVarsity/Rivals list of top receivers.

"There's no question about who is the best," Cruce said. "A.J. is a top-five recruit, nationally. When A.J. and Brandon were at the same camp, A.J. was better. But when A.J. wasn't there, there was no question about who the best receiver was.

"The thing is both Brandon and A.J. are blessed with great quarterbacks," Cruce said. "We've got two of the best quarterbacks in the state in (Hanahan's) John Carnell and (Summerville's) Reid McCollum. You can be the best wide receiver in the state, but you can't get it done if you don't have someone to get you the ball."

Ford is the best receiver on a team that includes talented pass catchers Dylan Price, Jay Edwards and Al Little.

"As a group, I don't think there's a better bunch around," Cruce said. "You can't use single coverage against us because every one of them can catch the ball."

Reach Philip M. Bowman at pbowman@postandcourier.com.