The Whisperer Remembers ... John Ford.

The 1980’s ushered in the era of big receivers, where giants roamed the perimeter. Up until that point, most receivers hovered around that 5’10-11 range … every so often you had one or two who broke the 6-foot mark, but they were anomalies, not the norms. Then out of nowhere, seemingly overnight the land was bursting with beast-like creatures, hulking figures, towering over cornerbacks, eyeing frightened safeties, and bewildered linebackers who were torn between stopping the run and … running for their lives.

They were everywhere, the new toy, the “it” thing offensive coordinators had to have and the one defensive leaders —even the most accomplished ones, spent many nights wondering how they could contain these, these … cyborgs. While some names stood taller than others, none held more potential than the Cavalier. He made the game look easy, but to those charged with stopping him, every down he played, every play he made, made life hard.

Standing just a hair over 6’3 with sprinter speed and the body of a Greek god, this man was considered by most to be the standard that all others were judged by; striking fear into the hearts of ACC foes while announcing the big receiver was here, and here to stay. Whisperer Nation, how about a firm salute as we remember the extraordinary talents of former Virginia Cavalier wide receiver deluxe … Mr. John Ford.