OU’s Ford stirs Bedlam with Gundy comments
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Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff WriterNov 2, 2023, 12:53 PM ET Close Dave Wilson is an editor for ESPN.com given that 2010. He previously operated at The Dallas Early Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.The last edition of
the Chaos rivalry game in between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State didn’t need any additional heat.Bedlam, which has
been played 117 times, dating back to 1904, is concerning an end since of Oklahoma’s departure for the SEC. That has seen ticket costs soar in Stillwater, with costs ranging in between$350 on the low end up to $5,000 on all the significant resale markets. Oklahoma Sooners protective lineman Trace Ford moved from Oklahoma State after playing in 32 games for the Cowboys, and says he hasn’t talked to OSU coach Mike Gundy given that his departure. Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire But Oklahoma protective lineman Trace Ford, who moved to the Sooners from Oklahoma State after appearing in 32 games in four seasons for the Cowboys, included a little extra fuel to the fire anyway.In an interview Thursday morning on WWLS radio, called the”Sports Animal” in Oklahoma City, Ford was asked if had actually spoken with Cowboys coach Mike Gundy given that he left.” Not once, and he doesn’t care that I left,” Ford said.” He didn’t care that I was leaving when I was about to leave. I attempted to notify them, he didn’t care.”I don’t believe me and the personnel have the best relationship. Some of the coaches still text me to this day, but not all of them. … When I was notifying the coaching personnel of thinking of leaving, they resemble, ‘OK, get on out of here. ‘They’re basically like we do not wish to speak to you. So that’s simply the life we live. It is what it is.” Editor’s Picks 1 Associated During a Monday Sports Animal radio interview, Gundy was asked about Ford.”I have actually watched a great deal of tape and honestly have not paid not focused or noticed,”
Gundy stated.”I look at concepts, schemes, numbers. … What to attack, what I want to keep away from, things like that more so always than who it would be, so I don’t really see things like that. “The radio station later played those remarks for Ford, who replied, “He is truly clever with the media. He understands precisely what to say. He’s a little celeb when it comes to that stuff. He enjoys being petty, and I can’t wait to play him. I can’t wait to see his face. If he hasn’t seen me on movie yet, I hope he does this weekend.”This is an extension of a conversation that began this previous summertime, when Gundy was asked about Ford’s transfer. “Absolutely nothing surprises me any longer in college football. Ideally he’s healthy and can finish his profession strong,”the coach said.Ford twice suffered ACL tears in Stillwater– he tore his right ACL at the end of the 2020 season,
then he tore this left ACL in 2021 spring practice, missing out on all of that season. In 2015, he fractured a patella and missed the last four
games of the season. In the 2019 and 2020 seasons, he was an honorable mention All-Big 12 choice by the league’s coaches. He had 59 takes on, 8.5 sacks and 11.5 deals with for loss in his Oklahoma State career.Ford said this spring the injuries were one of the reasons he wished to leave, stating he simply needed a modification of surroundings and was advised of his injuries each time he walked into Boone Pickens Arena. An Oklahoma native, he remained in-state and made what he
called a”strong option”to move to OSU’s most significant competitor, which undoubtedly made him a good deal of refuse from Cowboys fans.”It was difficult,”he stated in February, according to the Tulsa World. “I know what’s finest for my profession, and I satisfied individuals here and my state of mind altered about Oklahoma and how I felt about them. At the end of the day, it was business for me and I enjoy I’m here.
“This season, Ford, working his method back from the injury and rotating with the Sooners’ defensive linemen, has 10 takes on, 2 takes on for loss, an interception and 3 quarterback hurries.Oklahoma is 91-19-7 all time in Bedlam, but the Cowboys distressed the Sooners 37-33 in the Sooners’last trip to Stillwater, before then-Sooners coach Lincoln Riley quickly left for USC the next day. The Sooners won 28-13 in Brent Venables ‘very first season in 2015.