‘We’re going to be aggressive in everything we do.’ Idaho football finds next coach

The University of Idaho has found the 37th head football coach in program history.

Former assistant coach Thomas Ford was named the Vandals’ new coach Wednesday, pending approval from the Idaho State Board of Education and all university human resources procedures, the university said.

Ford replaces Jason Eck, who resigned over the weekend to take the head coaching job at New Mexico. U of I then moved quickly.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be coming back to the Palouse,” Ford said in a news release. “This place is truly special and (I) want to continue the standard of excellence that has been set by Coach Eck. We’re going to be aggressive in everything we do. Schematically on offense, defense, and special teams, and especially in recruiting.

“We will continue bringing in high-character athletes who will help us take the program to the next level. I can’t wait to get back home and get to work.”

Ford’s ties to the Vandals include two seasons as special teams coordinator and running backs coach in 2022-23. He then spent the 2024 season as the running backs coach at Oregon State, helping the Beavers collect 2,270 yards on the ground.

Ford’s other college coaching stops were at the University of Washington (quality control analyst), Simon Frasier University (head coach), University of Puget Sound (defensive coordinator), Southeastern Oklahoma State (wide receivers/special teams) and Linfield College (running backs).

Ford played running back and ran track at Linfield. He set the Wildcats’ single-game rushing record (237 yards) in 2003 and still ranks fifth all-time on the school’s career rushing list with 2,333 yards. Ford was a two-time Northwest Conference all-star, a member of four straight Northwest Conference championship teams, and team captain of Linfield’s 2004 NCAA Division III national title team that was inducted into the Linfield Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.

He also played four years of professional indoor football, winning a National Indoor Football League championship with the Tri-Cities Fever in 2005.

“We are excited to welcome Coach Ford, his wife Shannon and their children Zoey and Kingston back to Moscow,” Idaho Athletic Director Terry Gawlik said. “It was clear during our interview process that Thomas is the man to lead Vandal football into the future. He knows what it takes to win at Idaho. He is an elite recruiter who was instrumental in laying the foundation of our recent success.”

Eck and Ford helped turn around Idaho football. The Vandals (10-4 in 2024) were 26-13 in Eck’s three seasons leading the program, and they are riding a three-year streak of making the FCS playoffs. That included making the quarterfinals each of the past two seasons, which saw them ranked in the top 10 of FCS polls.