Career: Jones enters his junior season in 2010with the third-highest all-purpose yards average in school history(136.8 per game). His 2,600 all-purpose yards overall are just 882from ranking 10th on EWU’s all-time leaders list. Despiteplaying just one season as a running back, he has averaged atouchdown every 12.0 times he touches the ball (240 touches, 20 TD)and 10.8 yards per touch. He needs 787 rushing yards to become the12th player in school history to go over the 2,000-yard mark. Jonesalso ranks eighth in school history in average per kickoff return(23.6) and 10th in total kickoff return yards (825). Jones has had21 plays of at least 32 yards in his career (18 in 2009), and 10 ofat least 50 (nine in 2009). As a running back in 2009, Jonesaveraged 6.1 yards per carry at home on the grass surface ofWoodward Field, but that was boosted to 8.2 in EWU’s othereight games on fields that featured seven artificial surfaces aswell as one grass field at Sacramento State with excellentfooting.
2010: In July, Jones was one of 20 playersselected by the Sports Network to its “Watch List” forthe 2010 Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top player inthe NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. He was selected as afirst team selection on the Phil Steele College Football PreviewMagazine preseason FCS football All-America team and was selectedas a preseason first team All-Big Sky selection by Phil Steele. Apanel of media and sports information directors also selected himto its preseason All-BSC squad.He also received honorable mentionon the Consensus Draft Services Preseason FCS Football All-Americanteam. Listed as a starter at running back on EWU’s preseasondepth chart. Did not take part in any spring scrimmages afterhaving surgery in December to repair a sports hernia. He also spentthe time to fully recover from injuries to both shoulders and ahand during his debut as a running back in 2009.
2009: Jones scored on an 87-yard run on hisfirst career carry, and went on to earn third team All-Americahonors from both Associated Press and the Sports Network. He wasalso a first team All-Big Sky Conference selection. He finishedwith 1,213 rushing yards in 2009 to rank as the sixth-most inschool history. He ranked in the top 10 in FCS in rushing (ninth,101.1 per game), scoring (sixth, 9.50 per game) and all-purposeyards per game (second, 195.4). His 2,345 all-purpose yards(rushing, receiving, returns) were the second-most in schoolhistory, and his 19 touchdowns and 114 total points both rankfourth. For the season, Jones averaged a lofty 7.4 yards per rushin an average of 13.5 carries per game. Including receiving andreturns, he averaged 10.1 yards every time he touched the ball andaveraged a touchdown every 12.2 touches. Jones battled a variety ofailments -- including hand, shoulder and hip flexor injuries -- butstill played in all 12 games, starting nine. On the first offensiveplay of the game in his debut as a running back against WesternOregon (9/5/09), Jones scored on an 87-yard touchdown on his firstcarry in a game since his senior year in high school in 2006. Atthe time, it equaled the fifth-longest run in school history, andis currently sixth after his 96-yard run later in the year. Jonesfinished the Western Oregon game with 122 yards and two scores on12 carries. Following his performance against Sacramento State(9/26/09) in a 56-30 win, Jones was Sports Network co-OffensivePlayer of the Week and earned the same honor from the Big SkyConference as he shared the honor with two other players. Playingin just his fourth game as a collegiate running back, his yardagetotal was the 29th-most in school history, and the best by an Eaglein nearly five seasons. Coupled with 69 yards on three kickoffreturns and a pass reception for 20 yards, Jones finished with 279all-purpose yards. He averaged 12.7 yards per rush, and 14.7 yardsthe 19 times he touched the ball. One game earlier, Jones had 164all-purpose yards versus Northern Colorado (9/19/09), including 95yards rushing on 18 carries. His 52-yard kickoff return would havebeen an 85-yard touchdown, but a penalty shortened it. In 2008,Jones had a 93-yard return for a touchdown versus the Bears. Thatreturn helped convince the coaching staff to move him to runningback in 2009 to help replace four departed seniors at thatposition. In EWU’s 38-3 win at Idaho State (10/3/09), Joneshad a school-record 96-yard touchdown run on his way to rushing for168 yards (45th best all-time at Eastern) and three touchdowns onjust 14 carries (12.0 per rush). It was the fourth-longest rush inBig Sky history and the longest in the league in nearly 20 years.His big play came on the first offensive play of the second half ashe broke several tackles and simply out-ran several more as theEagles took a 28-3 lead. He broke the previous record of 95 yardsset by John Ditz against Lewis & Clark in 1954. In all, he hadsix 100-yard rushing performances, adding 145 yards versus Montana(10/17/09), 115 against Northern Arizona (11/21/09) and 118 versusStephen F. Austin (11/28/09), scoring a TD in each game. He endedthe season by catching 10 passes for 68 yards versus SFA. He alsohad 149 yards receiving on six catches against Montana State as hefinished with 264 all-purpose yards. He had at least 200all-purpose yards in six games, including his last three and fiveof his last six. He had 274 all-purpose yards in Eastern’splayoff-clinching win against Northern Arizona (11/21/09),including 115 rushing, 82 receiving and 77 on kickoff returns. Hescored once on a 71-yard run and another on an 80-yard receptionwhich ranks as the 18th-longest pass play in school history. Onegame earlier, he had 77 rushing yards and a touchdown at SouthernUtah (11/14/09), part of a 222-yard all-purpose yardage day thatalso included 75 yards and a TD on four receptions. In addition, hehad 70 yards on two kickoff returns, including a 50-yarder on thegame’s opening kickoff to set-up EWU’s first touchdown.Three times he was the team’s offensive player of the week --UNC, Sac State and MSU. Jones moved to running back from cornerbackin the spring and had touchdown catches of 15 and 17 yards in theRed-White Spring Game, and also rushed for a scrimmage-high 33yards. In four total spring scrimmages, he rushed for 134 yards on16 carries (8.4 per carry) and scored five total touchdowns,including scoring runs of 41 and 39 yards.
2008: Started four games at field cornerbackafter missing much of the first part of the season with a brokenfibula suffered in the first week of preseason practices. He madehis much-anticipated collegiate debut against Portland State(10/4/08), but received more playing time than what was anticipatedwhen starting cornerback Lonnie Hosley suffered a foot injury thatkept him out of the final six games of the season. He had acareer-high 15 tackles versus Sacramento State (11/1/08) and alsohad two blocked kicks over the course of the season. Was theteam’s special teams player of the week against NorthernColorado (9/19/09) when he returned a kickoff 93 yards for atouchdown and subsequently was one of three team co-captains thefollowing week. He helped the Eagles finish 12th in FCS in kickoffreturns (22.9 per return).
2007: Redshirted. He was offensive scout teamplayer of the week twice.
HS: Graduated from Deer Valley HS in 2007. Hewas the Contra Costa Times Player of the Year and alsoearned first team San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro honorsas a running back. Jones was MVP of the Bay Valley Athletic Leagueand his team’s MVP on offense. He set his school’ssingle season record with 19 touchdowns as a two-way starter. Herushed for 1,466 yards (9.3 per carry) and 13 touchdowns, and alsoscored three receiving and two on punt returns. Three of his sixcatches were for touchdowns and a total of 191 yards. On defense,he had 37 tackles with a sack and three interceptions. One of hisinterceptions he returned for a score. He led the Wolverines to a10-0 regular season record and their first league title. Afourth-quarter ankle injury in the playoffs contributed to theteam’s first loss of the season. The year before, Deer Valleyfinished just 4-6.
Personal: Born 7/26/88 in San Francisco, Calif.Interdisciplinary liberal arts major..
Year GP Car Yds Hi Apc Apg TD Lg
2009 12 162 1213 190 7.5 101.1 15 96t
Year GP PC Hi Yds Apr Apg TD Lg
2009 12 40 10 561 14.0 3.3 4 80t
Year GP TT Hi S TL-Yds FF-FR PBU I-Yds
2008 7 54 15 0 2-2 0-0 4 0-0
Kickoff Returns: 2008/7-254-36.3-1 (long of93t); 2009/28-571-20.4-0 (long of 52); Totals/35-825-23.6-1 (longof 93t).
100-Yard Rushing Performances
190 - Sacramento State - 9/26/09 (#29 in schoolhistory)
168 - Idaho State - 10/3/09 (#45 in school history)
145 - Montana - 10/17/09
122 - Western Oregon - 9/5/09
118 - Stephen F. Austin - 11/28/09
115 - Northern Arizona - 11/21/09
100-Yard Receiving Performances
149 (6 catches) - Montana State - 10/24/09
200-Yard All-Purpose Performances
279 (190 rush, 20 receiving, 69 ko returns) - SacramentoState -9/26/09
274 (115 rush, 82 receiving, 77 ko returns) - Northern Arizona -11/21/09
264 (55 rush, 149 receiving, 60 ko returns) - Montana State -10/24/09
241 (145 rush, 18 receiving, 78 ko returns) - Montana -10/17/09
222 (77 rush, 75 receiving, 70 ko returns) - Southern Utah -11/14/09
200 (118 rush, 68 receiving, 14 ko returns) - Stephen F. Austin -11/28/09
Longest Plays
96t (rush) - Idaho State - 10/3/09 (SCHOOL RECORD)
93t (ko return) - Northern Colorado - 11/8/08 (#14 in schoolhistory)
87t (rush) - Western Oregon - 9/5/09 (#6 in school history)
80 (pass) - Northern Arizona - 11/21/09 (#18 in school history)
71 (rush) - Northern Arizona - 11/21/09
60 (pass) - Southern Utah - 11/14/09
53 (pass) - Montana State - 10/24/09
52 (rush) - Montana - 10/17/09
52 (ko return) - Northern Colorado - 9/19/09
50 (ko return) - Southern Utah - 11/14/09
-- Plus 11 other performances of at least 32 yards
