June 22, 2017
Famed F-Troop member Joe Ford, who played for the Commodores from 1972-76, has passed away. Ford, 64, who had been missing from his home in Paducah, Ky., since Monday night, was found dead Thursday after a vehicle crash on I-24 in Kentucky.
Ford, a member of the F-Troop trio with Jeff Fosnes and Butch Feher, scored 1,193 points in his Vanderbilt career and is currently 32nd all-time on the Commodores’ all-time scoring list. Vanderbilt won a Southeastern Conference regular season title during the 1973-74 season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament that spring. In the four seasons with Ford and the F-Troop, Vanderbilt had a record of 74-33.
“We are saddened to hear of the death of Joe Ford, a noted alumnus of Vanderbilt Athletics,” said Vanderbilt Director of Athletics David Williams. “Joe and his Vanderbilt Commodores basketball teammates Butch Feher and Jeff Fosnes made up the famed “F-Troop” that led Vanderbilt to the SEC championship and the NCAA Tournament in 1973-74. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.”
Ford moved back to Mayfield, Ky. after his time in Nashville with the Commodores. He had been employed at Northwestern Mutual Insurance and Financial Planning.
