CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Head Coach Jacob Russell has brought in Jody Ford as Defensive Coordinator for the 2023 season.

Ford begins his first year at Campbellsville University, but is in his 28^th year of coaching college football. This will be his 14^th season as a Defensive Coordinator. Jody was at Texas Lutheran University as a Recruiting Coordinator and an assistant coach on defense for eight years with one of those years working as an assistant at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio where the Cardinals went 10-3, won the Southland Conference Championship, and went two rounds deep in the national playoffs. Before UIW, Ford was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at TLU for five years where in 2019 TLU went 8-2 and played for the conference championship.
 
"Coach Ford has spent nearly three decades as a successful college football Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, and Assistant Coach, leading many of those teams to championships, playoff appearances, and national rankings," Coach Russell stated. "He was recently part of the staff at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, a program that has been one of the most successful at the D-1 FCS level the past few seasons. To add someone with his experience and proven results to lead our defense is invaluable." Coach Russell added, "Coach Ford is a dedicated father and husband who has defeated cancer, and will leave a huge impact on Campbellsville University, football program, and community during his time here."
 
Before arriving at TLU, Ford was the Secondary Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Missouri Valley College for the 2016 season where the Vikings went to the National Playoffs and led the conference in every defensive category.
 
Ford was the Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Central Methodist University in Missouri from 2012 to 2015 where his defenses set records in tackles for loss and sacks. He coached All-Americans, such as Defensive Lineman Matt Fraley (who was also part of the All-State Good Works Team), and Cornerback Kyler Crawford. Also, the defensive player of the week came from the CMU defense five of 11 weeks.  Middle linebacker Tim Cummins led the conference in tackles and the defense went ten straight quarters without giving up a touchdown and had 5 straight second half shutouts.
 
Before CMU, Ford was the Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Mayville State University in North Dakota. There Ford coached DeMarcus Rideaux, a blue chip All-American who went on to spend time with the Cincinnati Bengals.
 
Before becoming a Head Coach and Coordinator, Ford had stops at Quincy University in Illinois, Culver-Stockton College in Missouri, and Occidental College in Los Angeles. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Central Missouri and his master's at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.
 
Jody is a proud cancer survivor and is originally from Frankford, Missouri (population 474).