Luke Ford is coming back for a fourth season at Illinois. Ford shared the news Monday on his Twitter account.

“Thank you Illini fans for all your love and support since the day I got here,” Ford said in a tweeted video message. “Coming home, you guys are the reason this place feels like home. Thank you to my coaches for giving a small-town kid a chance, and thank you for always believing in me. With that being said, I’ll be declaring for one more year at Illinois. Let’s run it back.”

In 2021, Ford was fifth on the team in receptions with 15, recording 114 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. His first career TD came in the Nebraska game on Aug. 28.

A Carterville, Illinois native, Ford transferred to the Illini after one season at Georgia (2018). He had to sit out 2019, his sophomore season, due to NCAA transfer rules. Illinois considered Ford a junior in both 2020 and 2021. The NCAA did not count 2020 against players’ eligibility due to the pandemic and the unique circumstances of the season.