Josh Ford broke his arm last Saturday. He wrapped it up and stayed in the game. He had surgery on Sunday, and tonight, six days later, he is expected to start for the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Georgia Bulldogs. Here is how he got here. He is from Stillwater, Oklahoma, and he went to Stillwater High School. He did not have many offers. ESPN had him as the 27th best tight end in the country and the 16th best recruit in the state of Oklahoma. He played defense too, and as a senior he was his division's tight end of the year. So he went to Oklahoma State. The school in his own hometown, right down the road. In two seasons there he played 16 games and caught 13 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Then last September, Oklahoma State fired Mike Gundy after 20 seasons. Ford played four games that year. The last one was a loss to the Baylor Bears in September. Then he redshirted the rest of it and entered the transfer portal. The Texas A&M Aggies brought him in. So did the Kansas State Wildcats, the Auburn Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners. Here is what he said about that. "When I hit the portal, all of these options opened up to me, and I was kinda blown away." And while he waited to decide, he drove over to his old high school and worked out there to stay in shape. He committed to Alabama on December 16. He was the first transfer the program took that offseason. Here is what he says about why he plays. "I just love to hit people. That's my passion for the game." His offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb called him as dominant a player on the line of scrimmage as anybody you are going to see. He has started three games for Alabama this season. He has exactly one catch. It went three yards for a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks and he caught it with one hand. Then last Saturday at Mississippi State, which was ranked 17th in the country at the time, his left arm got caught between his own left guard, William Sanders, and a Mississippi State defender. It broke. He wrapped it and finished. He played 23 snaps that day, the fewest of his season. Alabama won 56 to 23. Surgery was the next morning. Here is what Kalen DeBoer said on Wednesday. "He's determined to get on the football field. Actually, progressing along fairly well right now." "We've just got to make sure he meets the levels that we need him to meet as far as being physically ready." DeBoer also said what Ford did in that game showed the whole offense what finishing looked like, and that it became contagious. Nobody from Alabama has actually said he is playing. They have said they are optimistic, and that is not the same thing. But last December he was working out alone at his old high school, waiting to find out where he was going to play football. And tonight he is expected to start against the second ranked team in the country, six days after they put his arm back together.

God Has something in store for me!!

#agtg After a great Conversation with Coach @quonmarshall16 I'm blessed to have received my first D1 offer from Georgia State University! #Gopanthers💙 @HallTechSports1 @Calera_FB @CoachRials @ScottRials14 @coachmoncrief_q @HallTechSports1 @AL5AFootball1 @CoachJohnson_TE

After a great talk with Coach Marshall im blessed to receive my second D1 From Georgia State University. @quonmarshall16 @coachmoncrief_q @CoachJohnson_TE @CoachRials @Calera_FB @HallTechSports1 @ScottRials14 @Alabama_Varsity @PrepRedzoneAL @AL5AFootball1

👀Another ‘29 QB making waves ….@WhatleyKg ….@Caler_Football has been playing very well this season….HC @ScottRials14 definitely making an impact!

Great win with the guys back at it Friday new day same grind thank you to @SpinnersQBU @BamaPrepsFB really appreciate it @HallTechSports1 @AL5AFootball @ScottRials14 @CoachRials @CoachJohnson_TE

Vote at alabama6afootball.com for QB Kristian Gallups Whatley (Calera) - completed 13-of-21 passing for 275 yards & 6 TDs vs Gardendale for our VICIS/Schutt Sports 5A "Player of the Week" Nomination for Week #5. @WhatleyKg @Calera_FB

FINAL IN CALERA: @Calera_FB-42, Gardendale-32. The Eagles win on homecoming and remain undefeated at home!