Travis Ford era with Cowboys likely done, source says

ByJeff Goodman ESPN logo
Sunday, March 13, 2016

Oklahoma Stateis expected to part ways with coach Travis Ford, a source close to the situation told ESPN.

Ford is expected to meet with athletic director Mike Holder on Monday, the source said.

Ford, 46, has been at Oklahoma State for eight seasons. The Cowboys went 12-20 overall and 3-15 in the Big 12 this season. Ford will finish with a 155-111 career mark at the school.

Ford didn't want to address his future with the Cowboys when asked about it earlier this week, after the team's Big 12 tourney loss to Kansas State.

"We're about trying to keep their spirits up and haven't gave much thought to it at this point," he said. "But very proud of these guys. And that's been my total focus. And people have asked me about it, and they don't understand the life I live. They don't understand -- they are not around me enough to know my mindset of how I work. I immerse myself into trying to figure out how to help this team every way possible, and, you know, I haven't really -- you know, I put everything I could in trying to figure out how to beat K-State. And now I am thinking about what I could have done differently."

Oklahoma State made five NCAA tournament appearances under Ford and advanced past the first game just once. The Cowboys reached the NIT in 2011.

Ford was at Massachusetts for three seasons. There, he went 62-35 and reached the NIT twice. He coached at Eastern Kentucky for five seasons and made the NCAA tournament in 2005 after winning the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. Ford also coached at Campbellsville for three seasons.

Ford played under Rick Pitino at Kentucky after transferring from Missouri, and he helped lead the Wildcats to the Final Four in 1993.

Oklahoma State gave Ford a 10-year extension in 2009, in a contract that included a $10 million buyout.