Will Kentucky be calling on Travis Ford?

With Tubby Smith's recent departure, one has to wonder whether the Wildcats will try to land UMass' own

There's no word of a move from Amherst to Lexington, but Kentucky's coaching search has begun, and Travis Ford could be a candidate.

Of course, this is mere speculation on my part. But why not?

Ford transfered to Kentucky prior to his sophomore season, and led the Wildcats to three NCAA Tournament appearances under coach Rick Pitino.

Many big names have popped up to replace Tubby Smith, who fled for Minnesota on Thursday. In the next few days you'll hear the likes of Billy Donovan and John Calipari, guys who have been there before.

But Ford will be a wild card in the crowd of potential replacements because let's face it, he is an up and coming coach in high demand that gets the most out of his players. And he knows Kentucky. He was a Wildcat for three seasons.

Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart did not respond to an email on Friday, but the Associate AD did.

"Mitch is not responding to media inquiries at this time due to his involvement in our coaching search," Scott Stricklin said when asked if Ford would be a candidate for the job. "I hope you understand."

Oh, I do. I understand that there was no denial. But again, this is all speculation.

The Kentucky job is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any coach. The expectations are high, and the next man in will have big shoes to fill.

Is Travis Ford the man for the job? Only time will tell.

And as for the question, "Would Ford even leave UMass if he was offered the job?"

You're kidding me, right?

Danny Picard can be reached at dpicard@student.umass.edu.