2017 football preview: New coach, same approach for Buford

BUFORD — In some respects, John Ford says his transition as Buford football coach has been relatively easy.

"I'm excited and blessed to be at a program like this where you don't have to come in and flip the culture because the coaches that have been here and are here are so great and the kids are so great. The community is incredible and is so supportive of the Wolves," said Ford, who took command of Buford this offseason after leading Roswell to back-to-back state runner-up finishes in the state's largest classification.

But when you take into account the pressure of replacing a seven-time state champ head coach in Jess Simpson (now with the Atlanta Falcons) and maintaining the mantle of the most consistently dominant program in GHSA play over the last two decades, you see that Ford's task is not as simple as it looks.

"I just want to do the best job I can. And I want to be a good steward of something that's been so successful and so cherished by the community and to stand on the shoulders of guys like (current Buford athletic director) Dexter Wood and Jess Simpson," Ford said. "The type of community and culture and the vision from the city to the community to the school board to the administrators at the upper level and see how everybody's been aligned... I'm just a small cog in that."

Ford is certainly surrounded by impressive working parts, including a roster replete with big-time talent that is hungry to reclaim a championship after dropping the title game each of the last two campaigns -- after winning seven state crowns in eight seasons 2007-2014. But, for now, coach and players alike are focused on "the process."

"I'm not worried about what happened last December at all; that doesn't matter to these kinds. What's in front of you is what's important now," Ford said.

For the offense, which is switching base formations for the first time in years, that means getting as comfortable as possible with Ford's version of the spread -- even if that does not mean wholesale changes are in store.

"We want to be up-tempo, but we want top be balanced and physical. And we will not sacrifice or forfeit any downhill, A and B-gap nastiness at all," Ford said. "But we want to be able to make defenses pay for selling out to stop the run."

With running backs like Anthony Grant (Tennessee commit), Christian Turner (Michigan commit) and junior Derrian Brown (already a four-star prospect) filling out the Buford depth chart, opposing defenses know they will be in for a tough time even when they do guess right on a play call. And while the Wolves did graduate a number of starters from 2016, there is plenty of talent itching for its chance in a starting role, including offensive linemen Austin Blake (6-foot-2, 265 pounds), Harry Miller (6-4, 310) and Riley Simonds (6-4, 290). 

Meanwhile, Ford retained a number of Buford assistants, especially on the defensive side, where Bryant Appling will continue his role as defensive coordinator.

"I've got the unique experience in that I had to prepare for a Buford defense last year as a coach and coordinator at Roswell, and I know how good those guys were, so I didn't want to shake up that side of the ball much," Ford said. "They know how to pay attention to details and work every day. I know up front and in the linebackers they lost some guys. You don't lose a Jake Simpson and TD Roof, a Dean Powell, without losing something because those guys are special players and special young men. But they're working every day, and that's a great defensive staff, and I'm not going to micro-manage them. What they do has worked, and what they do is great."

Indeed, Ford said that, as far as personnel goes, it's been clear sailing.

"They're coachable kids; they're hard-working kids; they know how to turn it on. They know how to prepare, and they know how to grind when they need to. I think things we've been doing have been different in some respects, but we're also not trying to re-invent the wheel around here because they've been so successful," Ford said. "The stuff they've done well in the past, let's keep doing that. And they've been doing a great job of that. And the things that we want to tweak a little bit or maybe put a different flavor on, they've done a great job adjusting to that as well."