SIOUX FALLS — Joe Ford, who has 16 years of coaching experience at the NCAA DII and FCS levels, has been named the Defensive Coordinator for the University of Sioux Falls Football Program, according to an announcement today by USF Head Coach Jon Anderson.
A native of Brandon, S.D., Ford has coached at FCS level South Dakota, and NCAA DII programs at Southwest Minnesota State, St. Cloud State and for two years at USF. He will serve as a defensive coordinator for the third time (seven total seasons) after previous stints in the role at North Carolina-Pembroke in 2016-17 as well as with Minot State from 2007-12.
“I am pleased to name Joe Ford as our defensive coordinator,” said Anderson, who has directed USF to NCAA DII playoff appearances in two of his three seasons at USF. “Joe has tremendous experience at not only the DII level but also at the FCS level. He has been instrumental in the success of our USF Defense over the last two years.”
“As a member of our coaching staff, he offers experience, a high level of defensive knowledge, understands our ‘winners win’ perspective and will continue to mentor our student-athletes to success on the field and in the classroom,” said Anderson.
Ford, who will serve as Defensive Coordinator at USF, replaces Nick Benedetto, who has accepted another position with an FCS program. Benedetto, who was a member of the NAIA national title teams in 2006 and 2008 at USF, has been the Defensive Coordinator at USF since 2017.
Ford earned a Bachelor’s degree in health from South Dakota State in 2003 and a Master’s degree in teaching physical education from St. Cloud State in 2007. He has also served as a lecturer in the Health and Human Performance Department at North Carolina-Pembroke.
At USF, Ford has been part of one of the nation’s top defensive units. The Cougars are 15-7 during his two-year tenure, which includes an 8-4 mark in 2019. This past year, he was part of the staff that directed the program to its fourth NCAA DII playoff appearance.
At a national level in 2019, USF ranked fourth in DII with a 260.7 yards per game allowed and 14th in scoring defense at 17.3 points allowed per game. USF also was fifth in the final DII rankings in passing efficiency defense at 94.15. With 19 interceptions, USF ranked 10th in DII, was 12th in passing yards allowed (161.8 ypg) and finished 16th against the rush (98.8 yards, 2.98 yards per carry) in DII.
Ford was also linebackers coach and Special Teams Coordinator in 2018 when USF was 7-4.
“I told the players when Coach Anderson introduced me for the first time as DC, ‘this is the greatest honor in my coaching career,’” said Ford. “I meant that; I love the Coo, it’s a special place. I love our players, our standard. We have a culture here that focuses on servant leadership and making choices every day to win. With that mindset, the games take care of themselves. We have some big shoes to fill but this group is up for the challenge. I can’t wait to watch it come together,” said Ford.
Prior to coming to USF, Ford was at UNC-Pembroke where he was part of a staff that directed the team to a 10-2 record in 2016 and No. 13 ranking in final AFCA poll. In 2016, UNC-Pembroke set a school record for wins with 10, which included the program’s first DII playoff victory (24-21 over Valdosta State).
As an assistant coach for South Dakota (2013-14), Ford mentored Tyler Starr, who earned Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors after accumulating 71 tackles (15 tackles for loss) and nine sacks as a senior in 2013. Starr was later selected in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
Ford was the defensive coordinator in five of his six seasons at Minot State (2007-12). With Ford at the reigns of the defense in 2009, the Beavers registered a Dakota Athletic Conference-leading 17 interceptions and made their first playoff appearance since 2002. The following season, Minot State ranked 16th, nationally in NAIA, in scoring defense (18.4 points/game), while also posting the nation’s sixth-best sacks per game (3.0) average.
In his first four years at Minot State, the Beavers won 26 games before the school transitioned to NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in time for the 2011 campaign. Under his watch, seven defensive standouts earned all-conference honors which included three during his final season at Minot State.
He began his coaching career in 2004 at SMSU as a graduate assistant, later doing post-graduate work at St. Cloud State in 2006 as the linebackers coach. He has also served several stints as a counselor for various college football camps across the country.
He and his wife, Stephanie, have three children, Brynn, Patterson and Sullivan.
