Clemson legend gets offer from ECU

From the The Post and Courier:

FORD SAID TO HAVE INTEREST IN POSITION

CLEMSON—Clemson football icon Danny Ford could soon be back in the coaching business.

A source close to Ford said he has been offered the vacant head-coaching position at East Carolina. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ford could make a decision as early as today.

The 56-year-old Ford, who led Clemson to unprecedented and unmatched success during his 11-year tenure with the Tigers, did not return a message left on his cell phone. Other sources close to the situation confirmed there is mutual interest between Ford and East Carolina.

Ford is believed to be one of several candidates for the job, which became vacant with the Nov. 17 firing of John Thompson. Sources said former South Carolina assistant coach Skip Holtz interviewed Tuesday in Greenville, N.C.

Ford, who guided Clemson to the 1981 national title, has been out of coaching since leaving Arkansas after the 1997 season. He has since resided in Pendleton, a small town a few miles from Clemson.

East Carolina is offering Ford a package worth $800,000 annually, a source said.

Terry Holland, athletic director at East Carolina, held a press conference Tuesday morning to address the coaching search. Though refusing to discuss candidates, he seemed open to hiring a coach who has been away from the game.

"Another pool of candidates out there that have head coaching experience are the ex-coaches, the guys who are out of the game for whatever reason," Holland said. "Normally, there's a pretty good reason they're out of the game. Some do come back. Some do it successfully. Others do it moderately successfully. ... There are all sorts of different possibilities there in terms of bringing back a coach who has retired for whatever reason, from the profession.""

Ford still casts a large shadow at Clemson. He is frequently heard on the radio doing advertisements for businesses, and a vocal segment of Ford loyalists still longs for his return to the Tigers.

In an October interview with The Associated Press at his farm, Ford said he was "a thousand percent convinced" he could still field a winning program.

"Coach Bryant taught us to believe that," he said of his former coach at Alabama, Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Hell, Dick Vermeil proved you can come back to the game and win a Super Bowl.