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Tackle Josh Ford leads the Rebel block party
Josh Ford
Second-team all-region right tackle Josh Ford will anchor Effingham County's offensive line. (Donald Heath for the Effingham Herald.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

 

BLUFFTON, SC – Yell “Ford” at Effingham County’s football practice and there’s no telling who will show up – an offensive lineman, a head coach, an assistant coach, sometimes a school district superintendent.

Josh Ford is the offensive lineman, a right tackle who earned second-team All-Region 2 honors last season. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound senior is the son of school district superintendent Dr. Yancy Ford. Matthew Ford, Josh’s older brother, is a Rebel assistant coach.

Head coach John Ford, no relationship, just draws up the plays.

Josh smiles when asked about upholding the family name.

“There isn’t any pressure. I’m still just a kid playing football,” he said.

There will be some scrutiny on Josh and his offensive linemates. ECHS has a stable filled with playmaking wide receivers led by Q King, Ryan Wells and Lamar Roberts. First-year starting quarterback Tucker Perkins, a junior, has been impressive throwing in 7-on-7 play.

But the pitch-and-catch game gets more challenging when defenses can rush the quarterback. Josh and his linemates will be asked to keep the quarterback upright.

“Without linemen, all the stuff you can do with the skill (players) is irrelevant,” John Ford said. “It starts upfront. Football is a game of big people first. If the bigs don’t come to play, all that skill stuff, it might look pretty, but it doesn’t get you much if you get stuck in the mud on Friday night.”

ECHS faced similar questions last season after four of its five starters graduated after the 2022 season. But the newbies came through. The Rebels scored more points and averaged more rushing yards in 2023 en route to a region title.

Josh Ford file photo
In this file photo from summer 2023, Rebels right tackle Josh Ford (right) prepares to block a rushing Johnson High defensive lineman during blocking drills. (Donald Heath for the Effingham Herald.)
“We can’t do it without (the skill players) and they can’t do it without us so it’s interchangeable,” said Josh Ford, who started all 11 games last season. “All 11 guys have to be on the same page every game.”

John Ford said Josh’s improvement during the past two years has been impressive. Josh sought offensive-lineman-specific training at highly regarded Velocity Football Academy just outside Atlanta.

“I don’t know if anyone has improved as much as Josh,” John Ford said. “We have a bunch of hard-working guys and I don’t want to diminish what they’ve done, but I do want to highlight what Josh has done. …

“He plays with the heart of a servant, but also the heart of a warrior.”

July 11, ECHS traveled to Bluffton, South Carolina, for a workout with the Bluffton Bobcats. All 11 players lined up during drills although there was no hitting.

“It was a great time to get our work in and get as many reps as possible,” Josh said. “(The offensive linemen) don’t get the 7-on-7 action. We have to wait until the big boys come around.”

But when the season kicks off Aug. 23 at Houston County, John Ford said Josh will figure in the action.

“We run behind him a bunch and we know he’s going to give 120 percent,” John Ford said. “I’m proud of the young man. I’m proud to share a name with him.”