Idaho hires former assistant Thomas Ford Jr. as next head football coach
Ford was on former coach Jason Eck’s staff for two years
The University of Idaho has hired Thomas Ford Jr., a former assistant coach for the Vandals, as the program’s 37th head football coach, it was announced Wednesday.
Ford was Idaho’s running backs coach and special teams coordinator under former coach Jason Eck for two seasons.
Most recently, he was the running backs coach at Oregon State for one season.
“First I would like to thank my wife Shannon and my kiddos for being the support system most dream of,” Ford said in a news release. “I would also like to thank (Idaho athletic directory) Terry Gawlik and (President) Scott Green for the tremendous opportunity they have provided. I couldn’t be more excited to be coming back to the Palouse.”
Ford, a Seattle native, attended Linfield College (Ore.) and played professional indoor football for four years, winning a National Indoor Football League championship with the Tri-Cities Fever in 2005.
He coached at various schools, including Puget Sound in Tacoma and the University of Washington.
He began his coaching career at Linfield (Ore.) from 2007-08, then served as the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State (2009-12), before becoming the defensive coordinator at Puget Sound for the 2013 season.
Ford led Stadium High School for four years in Tacoma and then took the helm of Simon Fraser University, an NCAA D-II school in British Columbia, Canada, before serving as a quality control analyst for the Washington Huskies on former coach Jimmy Lake’s staff.
He was the Beavers’ running backs coach this past season in Corvallis, Ore.
During his two years in Moscow, Ford coached running back Anthony Woods to first-team All-Big Sky Conference honors. Woods totaled 1,155 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Vandals also saw two special teams players — long snapper Hogan Hatten and returner Jermaine Jackson — earn NFL roster spots in 2024. Hatten is with the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions and Jackson is onNew Orleans Saints’ roster.
Ford is following up a three-year Eck tenure that boosted Idaho’s national profile. Eck took over a program that had two winning seasons in the 22 years prior to his arrival and brought the Vandals to three straight appearances in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, including two straight quarterfinal appearances.
Eck improved his win total each year, winning seven games in 2022, nine games in 2023 and 10 games in 2024.
Despite facing the sixth-toughest schedule in the FCS and a rash of injuries that saw three different quarterbacks start games throughout the 2024 season, Eck’s Vandals won 10 games for the first time since 1993 and went undefeated at home (6-0, including playoffs) for the first time since 1996.
Fifteen Vandals earned All-Big Sky Conference honors, including Keyshawn James-Newby, who could be headed for the NFL and defensive tackle Dallas Afalava from Seattle.
Nine of the Vandals’ 15 All-Conference selections were defenders.
Ford’s hire comes on the heels of more than 20 Vandals entering the transfer portal following Eck’s departure for New Mexico, including defensive tackle Dallas Afalava, wide receivers Jordan Dwyer and Mark Hamper and quarterback Jack Layne.
Several Vandals who are still on the roster celebrated Ford’s hiring, including quarterbacks Jack Wagner and Rocco Koch and linebacker Dylan Layne.
“Thank you everyone who has emailed and did the work to get us to this moment! Love yall! Vs up for life
"Will not regret this we’re coming for that ring!” Koch posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Ford’s former boss celebrated his successor.
“Fired up for @VandalFootball and @CoachTFord! Great choice to keep the program’s momentum going forward,” Eck posted on X.
Taylor can be reached at 208-848-2268, staylor@lmtribune.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @Sam_C_Taylor.
