When a tall, slightly built athlete from Emmett Scott High School, Tyler, Texas, appeared on the Texas Southern University campus in 1950, the football fortunes of the Houston-based school changed dramatically. Before Audrey Ford graduated, he had rewritten all of the records at the quarterback position at Texas Southern.

 The LaMarque, Texas native was the first Texas Southern football player to win All-American honors (1952). Ford was also the first TSU football player to win All-American honors twice (1952 and 1955). He was the only quarterback to lead the Tigers to a national championship, after an undefeated season in 1952. Ford was the first and only TSU quarterback to pass for 21 touchdowns in a single season (1951) and for two seasons (1951 and 1952).

Ford was also the school's first athlete to letter in three sports: football, basketball and baseball, for three consecutive years 1950, 1951 and 1952.

Ford's accolades were not limited to football. He also was TSU's first volleyball head coach from 1985-93 and led the Lady Tigers to five SWAC championships.

The legacy of Audrey A. Ford remains at Texas Southern where past, present and future athletes have been and will be remeasured.