While the Illini staff did not win the first time around in Luke Ford’s recruitment, the relationship they built was strong enough to bring the Carterville (Ill.) tight end back home the second time around.
Ford, the top-rated prospect in Illinois in the Class of 2018, officially announced his intent to transfer on Friday after just one season in Athens. He announced his decision via Twitter.
Ford, who was ranked the No. 42 prospect overall and No. 1 tight end prospect in the Class of 2018, has been at the center of transfer rumors for weeks now.
Ford has been in the NCAA transfer portal for several weeks now, and even addressed the rumors recently after Georgia’s loss in the Sugar Bowl, citing the potential to transfer back home because of an ill grandfather.
“He’s the one that got me started playing football, so I want to play in front of him,” Ford said after the game. “The main reason (to transfer) is purely family, it’s not about football.”
It was no secret that Luke Ford had a strong connection with the Illinois coaches during his original recruitment, but the attraction of a blue blood program such as Georgia was too much for the staff to overcome.
That effort paid dividends in the end, though, as the Illini added another weapon to an already improving roster.
Now that Ford has officially been released from his national letter of intent and is headed to Champaign, he is likely to apply for a waiver to be eligible immediately. If not granted this waiver, Ford will have to sit out one year due to NCAA transfer rules.
After playing in all 13 games for Georgia on mostly special teams, Ford will have three years of eligibility remaining.
Lovie Smith and his staff have put more focus on the transfer market than in previous years. Ford will now join former Miami wide-receiver Jeff Thomas, who also recently announced his intent to transfer to Illinois.
Ford will join a 2019 recruiting class for the Illini that includes several high-profile prospects, highlighted by 4-star prospects Isaiah Williams and Marquez Beason.
