TRAVELERS REST -- Normally, this time of year the best running back in the MEAC is in Orangeburg getting ready for the upcoming football season.

But, this year has been different for South Carolina State’s Will Ford. An economic downturn has led to funding cutbacks at SCSU and, according to linebacker Marshall McFadden, only about 25 Bulldogs have been able to get the funding to get on campus for summer school and work out. A victim of the cutbacks, Ford, the 2008 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, isn’t one of them. So, instead of being at South Carolina State University Tuesday evening, he was back home wrapping up a workout session at Pivotal Fitness.

“I’ve been working out just about everyday,” Ford said. “If I’m not in the gym lifting, I’m doing some kind of running. I work out four or five days per week, but I’m running everyday.

“I mean, it’s been a struggle,” he added. “But, I can say that I am getting my workouts in. You know, I want to be on campus, but that’s how the situation is. It’s working out. It’s going to work out.”

In addition to the workout, the 5-11, 200-pound rising senior tailback wrapped up a spot on the 2009 Payton Award Watch List Wednesday. The award is given to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision each season. Last year, Appalachian State’s Armanti Edwards, who was also named to the 2009 watch list, received the honor.

Ford was a finalist for the award last season after leading the MEAC and ranking 13th nationally with an average of 115-rushing yards per game. He finished the season with 1,499 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. He owns the school’s single-game record for rushing yards with 322 in a 2007, 51-7, win over North Carolina A&T. Ford, currently ranked sixth all-time in the MEAC with 3,640 rushing yards, is just over 1,009-yards away from taking over the conference’s all-time rushing lead held by Hampton’s Alonzo Coleman.

“This is my first time learning about (being named to the watch list),” Ford said. “It’s a blessing, but I try not to get caught up in all that stuff. Still, it’s a blessing to pick me as one of the top players in the country.

“I don’t think I can be more enthused about this season,” he added. “This is my senior year. It seems like I’m trying to put it all on the line. You live to see that day where it’s going to come to an end, but I want to go out with a bang.”

Named to the list along with Ford Wednesday was Edwards, Samford tailback Chris Evans and Northern Iowa quarterback Pat Grace. A total of 20 candidates will be announced, in alphabetical order, prior to the start of the season with four candidates being released each week. The list is revised in October and again in November before the final ballot is announced. Voting from a panel of FCS sports information directors, writers, broadcasters and other football experts will be conducted after the regular season ends. Three finalists will be announced on Nov. 30 and will be invited to the 23rd annual Sports Network Awards banquet on Dec. 17 in Chattanooga, TN., the night

before the NCAA Division I championship game. The Eddie Robinson Award and the Buck Buchanan Award will also be presented that night.

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.

You must be logged in to comment.