By Chris McCarthy/ Publisher/Editor
Jonathan Ford’s sole season as starting quarterback has reaped dividends.
The Westbrook Christian senior signed a football scholarship with Birmingham-Southern College on Apr. 19.
Although he mainly played at linebacker during his sophomore and junior seasons, Ford was far from a game manager for the 2012 Warriors. He threw for 2,086 yards and 20 touchdowns while helping lead Westbrook to a 7-4 record and a berth in the Class 2A state playoffs. He was named to the All-Region 6 team and was nominated several times for the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Offensive Player of the Week award.
“I knew that Jonathan could throw the ball, but as the season went along, he really helped us with his legs,” said Westbrook head football coach Tony Osborne. “The one thing you don’t question about a kid moving from middle linebacker to quarterback is his toughness, and that helps when you’re running between the tackles. He was one of our key leaders this year, and he did a great job for us.
“Jonathan hasn’t played at the quarterback position for that long, and I think he’s got a lot of upside when he plays at the next level. Once he gets a little experience, I think Jonathan’s going to be a big player for (Birmingham Southern).”
The 2012 Panthers posted a 7-2 record while earning a share of the Southern Athletic Association Conference title.
A three-sport athlete for his entire varsity athletic career at Westbrook, Ford gave football the edge over basketball and baseball as his favorite sport.
“There’s something about football that separates it from the other two sports. I really have a love for the game and I like the competitive part of it. Thanks to God, I had several receivers around me that I could throw it to, and I had a great [offensive] line that helped protect me all season.’
Ford pointed to the BSC coaching staff as the deciding factor between signing with the Panthers over several other schools that recruited him.
“It really came down to my personal relationship with [offensive coordinator] Coach [Joe] White. He’s been really good to me. Plus, I really got a sense of family and community when I visited the campus.”