Tight end signee was surprised to learn Shane Beamer is leaving Georgia

Luke Ford got a phone call from Shane Beamer with some unexpected news.

After changing his initial plan to sign his national letter-of-intent in December, Ford learned that the integral reason for his pledge to Georgia was gone. The four-star product out of Illinois originally planned to sign with a college program in February. Having bought into Beamer's philosophy and coaching style, he decided to go ahead and sign with Georgia.

Without warning, however, Ford’s plans for playing under the young position coach were dashed.

“Yea,” Ford responded in a text message after he was asked if the move was unexpected.

Ford's high school head coach at Centerville, Dennis Drust, didn’t recall any guarantees between Ford and Georgia’s coaching staff that Beamer would remain in Athens.

Georgia signed two tight ends in its 2018 class, as Ford joined Marist product John FitzPatrick to form a duo of newcomers at the position, and each of the incoming freshmen raved over Beamer's recruiting strategies.

FitzPatrick also chimed in with a reaction once news that Beamer was leaving for Oklahoma went public.

“Best of luck to Coach Beamer on the new opportunity,” he tweeted. “Thanks for helping me through the recruiting process! #godawgs.”

Before Georgia's 54-48 double overtime win over Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl, head coach Kirby Smart was asked how the national early signing period had affected his coaching staff.

Smart said the new recruiting timetable could force prospects into feeling like they're being rushed with their college decisions, especially with so much time for coaches to take jobs elsewhere.

"They feel like they're making decisions amidst a sea of coaching changes, and they're having to hurry up and make a decision and not really getting the chance to develop relationships with the people to the places they're going," Smart said. "I think the public perception is you choose the school and you go to the school. You don't necessarily go to a coach. And everybody can say that until it's your son or your daughter, and you're having to meet these coaches. You make decisions based on relationships."

The Bulldogs lost tight end Jeb Blazevich to graduation at the conclusion of the past season, and Ford is expected to play a role in replacing the long-tenured starter as a freshman. Ford ended his high school career as a participant in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and ranks as the top player in Illinois, according to 247Sports.com.

Ford’s addition was the cap of an early signing surge that saw Georgia sign 20 prospects and land the top-rated class nationally. Alabama, Auburn, Illinois and Texas A&M were also vying for Ford’s services, and Beamer prevailed after building close relationships with the Ford family.

Beamer made a trip to Centerville, Illinois, on Jan. 15 with head coach Kirby Smart to visit with Ford before the standout tight end arrives on campus in June.

“He was always positive, personable, upbeat and honest with the Fords as well as myself,” Drust said. ... Shane’s family was definitely a big part of Luke signing at Georgia. I was definitely shocked to hear that he was leaving the University of Georgia.”

This story was originally published January 22, 2018 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Tight end signee was surprised to learn Shane Beamer is leaving Georgia."