In the Sept. 13 win over Tennessee, Oklahoma’s Keith Ford sustained a broken leg that kept him out for the next five games, with the running back returning for an early November game against Baylor. Nearly five months later, Ford was indefinitely suspended for what OU described as “academic and team rules violations.”
And, according to members of Ford’s family, the two situations are related.
In a statement sent out to the local OU media, Ford’s parents claimed their’s son’s uncharacteristic actions that led to the suspension are directly connected to the injury. The basis for that supposition, the parents said, are the opinions of “several medical professionals,” who stated behavior out of the norm is “not uncommon among athletes after suffering extensive injury.”
Just what the specific behavior was that led to Ford’s suspension has yet to be released publicly.
Statement from Keith and Mary Ford on the suspension of their son, #Sooners RB Keith Ford: pic.twitter.com/qI5M27lG7R
— Guerin Emig (@GuerinEmig) March 31, 2015
Last season, Ford’s 392 yards rushing were good for third on the team, while his five rushing touchdowns were tied for second. The junior added 11 receptions for 140 yards and another touchdown coming out of the backfield.