All Hogs

Derrian Ford's Shocking Final Destination After Transfer Portal

New Red Wolves coach Bryan Hodgson bringing new level of high energy to Jonesboro and lands transfer guard, two-time state player of the year.

Andy Hodges

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Derrian Ford drives against the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Surprise. Derrian Ford has found a landing spot out of the transfer portal and he's staying within the state of Arkansas. No, he's not coming back to the Razorbacks (who knows if that was even an option), but will be going to Arkansas State.

Probably not a lot of folks had that picked on their bingo card for the freshman who played sparingly for the Hogs last season. An announcement that he was transferring wasn't that surprising, but the destination is to a lot of people.

Ford had offers from Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and ASU among a host of other teams. Arkansas and Alabama were two that recruited him the hardest out of high school. New Red Wolves coach Bryan Hodgson was an assistant with the Crimson Tide during Ford's recruitment and that relationship and effort seem to have paid off.

Arkansas State finished last season 13-20 overall and 4-14 in league games. Hodgson brings a level of energy to Jonesboro that hasn't been seen in awhile, if ever. 

"He possesses well-rounded experience with a successful coaching and recruiting background," ASU vice chancellor for athletics Jeff Purinton said. "He has a great vision for Arkansas State basketball and the blueprint to carry it out in order to elevate our program to new heights. I'm confident he will build a winning culture, and we look forward to his leadership as our head men's basketball coach."

Ford was a two-time Gatorade Arkansas Player of the Year and led the program to three state championships. He averaged 23.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and three assists per game as a senior.

He played 80 minutes in 21 games and had 15 points and 10 rebounds. He saw the floor for a season-high 16 minutes in the Razorbacks’ loss at Vanderbilt on Jan. 14.

Ford scored a season-best four points in nine minutes in the team’s loss at Missouri on Jan. 18. The 6-3 guard had a three-assist game against San Jose State in December, and had a pair of assists in wins over North Carolina-Asheville and Georgia.

Ford finished with a single point, a single rebound and one assist in five minutes in Arkansas’ Sweet 16 loss to Connecticut in Las Vegas.

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HOGS FEED:

RAZORBACKS' JORDAN WALSH, RICKY COUNCIL IV MAKING NOISE AT NBA COMBINE IN CHICAGO

MCADOO RECOVERY EXPECTED TO BE VERY SLOW PROCESS

ESPN'S NBA DRAFT COMBINE COVERAGE ENDED UP BEING WALL TO WALL RAZORBACK COVERAGE

RAZORBACKS ERIC MUSSELMAN TALKING AT NBA COMBINE A BIG POSITIVE FOR PROGRAM IN LOT OF WAYS

CALLER GETS FORMER HOGS QB MATT JONES TO REVEAL HIS CONNECTION TO OLE MISS STREAKER

MASSIVE MOVE BY ACC COULD TRIGGER LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD AFFECT RAZORBACKS, SEC SCHEDULES

RAZORBACK FANS STANCE ON BASEBALL GETTING OVERALL NO. 1 SEED EASY WAY TO SORT TRUE FANS FROM THOSE HOPPING ON BANDWAGON LATE IN SEASON

FORMER HOG DOMINECK DETAILS WHY HE LEFT ARKANSAS, HOW HE'S ADJUSTING TO LIFE IN COLORADO

VAN HORN CONSIDERED PULLING HOLLAN IN COMPLETE GAME GEM, BUT NOT FOR LONG

RAZORBACKS GET COMPLETE GAME FROM HUNTER HOLLAN TO TAKE SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES ON SUNDAY

NEW OFFENSE UNDER DAN ENOS MAY HAVE SOME CLUES WITH LATEST TIGHT END COMMITMENT

HOGS GET JUST ENOUGH OFFENSE TO TAKE DOWN NO. 6 SOUTH CAROLINA

ARKANSAS HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER HAS FUN WITH AUBURN AFTER RECRUITING INVITE THAT WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG

TAKEOVER OF ESPN RADIO SHOW PROVED HOG FANS WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN TRANSFER PORTAL LATE IN WINDOW

DESPITE GUT-WRENCHING LOSS, RAZORBACK SOFTBALL WAKES UP TO GOOD NEWS

SLOW NEWS DAY, SPECULATION MAKES DEVO DAVIS RADIO APPEARANCE BIGGER NEWS THAN NORMAL

RAZORBACKS COACH DAVE VAN HORN STARTING HAGEN SMITH ON FRIDAY NIGHT BUT NOTHING FINAL ON REST OF WEEKEND.

PLAYERS NOW HAVE AN UNTAPPED BARGAINING CHIP THAT CAN SLOW THINGS DRAMATICALLY IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL

NO EXPLANATION WHY UNIVERSITY PULLED MAKHI MITCHELL RETURN POST

DEVO HAS GROWN MAN DECISION TO MAKE AFTER COMBINE, G LEAGUE SNUB

CASE FOR DAVE VAN HORN AS TOP COACH IN SEC BECOMING FAIRLY CLEAR AS THIS SEASON HAS PROGRESSED

OLE MISS ASSISTANT POSES GREATEST THREAT ARKANSAS HAS FACE IN RECRUITING IN DECADES

ARKANSAS BASEBALL SCHEDULE

FAYETTEVILLE WEATHER UPDATE

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.