08/29/2025
12th Region Legends by Logan Young brought to by Sean Slusher Shelter Insurance.
GAMEDAY EDITION!!! Danville High School
Chester Ford
Street & Smith Magazine All American 1991
USA News All American 1991
Dixie Dozen Orlando Sentinal All South Team 1991
Prep Sports Recruitment Magazine All South1991
Kentucky/Tennessee All Star Football Classic 1992
Kentucky Sports Class AA Player of the year 1991
Paul Horning Outstanding Player in Kentucky 1991
Courier Journal 1st Team All State 1990 & 1991
Associated Press 1st Team All State 1990 & 1991
Courier Journal 2nd Team All State 1989
All Area Lineman of the Year 1989, 1990 &1991
Played Football for the University of Tennessee
The football program at Danville High School is a very historic and special one. For well over 100 years, they have been a force in the state of Kentucky and have ranked in the top 50 and 100 in the nation in various categories. The program has had talent each decade of its existence including a state championship in the 1950’s when it was voted on. A title in the 60’s. Great players through the 70’s including Normal Letcher and Chris Jones. State championships in the 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s and most recently in 2017. So, the number of potential legends from just that program alone could take years of weekly article to cover them all and that’s an issue I will have to figure out something. However, there are some names that you hear almost anytime you talk about Danville and one of those names is Chester Ford.
Chester was a Danville player through and through and such a dominant player his entire career. I specifically remember a conversation as a kid between Coach Kenny Young and Coach Joey Kirk discussing how you coach players at nose to not pick a side and instead go head up but that Chester was fast enough, strong enough and good enough that if he happened to do so, it didn’t really matter because he made the tackle. When I asked him about what playing at Danville meant to him, Ford told me that “growing up playing football in to represent the city was unbelievable as a kid like me. Being part of championship teams felt unreal at times. As an adult, I often reflect on the life lessons and lasting friendships formed while playing football at Danville. I learned to work hard and sacrifice for my teammates.
After looking at the awards listed above you can imagine that Ford was a very highly recruited player. He was the first player in this area that I remember being so highly recruited. I asked him about the recruitment process and who wanted him. “Every major college football program was recruiting me. Some of the most memorable for me were Illinois, USC, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville and Penn State.” Now keep in ming this was well before social media, Hudl or even the internet. When it took a lot more work to get noticed. Untimely Ford Chose the University of Tennessee because “I wanted to play for the great, late Johhny Majors.” While playing for Tennessee Ford played on some amazing teams. He also was asked to do something new, play on the offensive side of the ball. I asked Chester if it was difficult to make that change and adjustment, especially in a conference like the SEC. After knowing Chester like I do it was no surprise he said “it was not difficult to move from defense to offense in college. My high school experiences prepared me for just about anything. That included doing/playing whatever position needed to support the team.”
Like any great student athlete, Ford had many great coaches over the years. Specifically he told me some of the most impactful were “Tom Pittman, Vernon Webb, Norman Letcher, Kenny Young, Sam Harp, jerry Perry, David Macfee, Jay Reynolds, Coach Bryant, Johnny Majors, Vince Tucker, Phillip Fulmer and Joe Troxel. Ford also told me “Norman “Scrapper” Letcher has played every role that a person can have in my life. He was my coach, a big brother, a friend, and a father figure at different times in my life.” Ford also said, “I will forever be grateful for the love and support that I received from Thomas and Mary Evelyn Ensslin.”
I asked Chester to tell mesome of his best memories at DHS and UT, He said “Winning a state championship two out of four years at Danville and the Rockcastle game my senior year. Also playing in front of 100,000 people every Saturday in the fall is one of my fondest memories about UT.” I also asked to name some of his best teammates in college and high school, like any true, humble, team player that just wants to win he told me “In high school and college anyone who wore the Admiral Blue or Tennessee Orange were family and the best teammates you could ask for.
Years after graduating Ford returned to Danville as an assistant Coach under the great Sam Harp. That was during my time at DHS, and I remember it well. “It was great to come home and give back to the community coaching. I was able to pass down some of the great skills and life lessons taught to me.” Chester now resides and coaches’ football in Memphis Tennessee. When we discussed life now, he informed me “I have been married for 27 years. I have two children. My oldest is a freshman at Hampton University this year, and he plays football. I teach and coach and I farm cattle.” That last one threw me for a loop if I am being honest, but I have no doubt he is probably one of the best cattle farmers around that area.
Last Friday night at Admiral Stadium I thought a lot about Chester Ford. I thought a lot about many of those great players that went through the Danville program that I was blessed to not only watch but look up to as a lot of older brothers. I know I was not the only person feeling very nostalgic and remembering some of the legends that went through that program. When Chester played all of the area schools were closer in size, some in the same district and played each other more regularly. The dominance Chester Ford showed on the field and the fact offenses had to create an entire game plan that revolved around trying to take him out of the play just a small part of why he is this week’s 12th region legend.
