New CB Coach Jones On Why UNC, What He Was Asked To Fix & More
CHAPEL HILL – New North Carolina cornerbacks coach Jason Jones met with the media Monday afternoon at the Kenan Football Center to field questions about coming to UNC, his coaching and recruiting styles, and much more.
Above is video of Jones’ press conference, and below are a few notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:
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*UNC Coach Mack Brown also addressed the media, and among what stands out to him about Jones are the following things he noted:
A few more notes from Brown:
*Coached 14 bowl teams.
*Coached 20 players that ended up in the NFL.
*Jones played at Alabama.
*Jones worked with Sparky Woods at Alabama.
*Worked with Charlton Warren at Indiana.
*He knows some of the terminology already used on Carolina’s defense.
*Jones has coached in the Big 12, SEC, and Big Ten.
*Jones will coach corners, Warren will coach safeties.
*Jones’ wife is from Chapel Hill. She graduated from Chapel Hill H.S. and was a cheerleader there with Mack’s daughter Katherine.
“In the small world, Katherine sent pictures of Keisha at their house on sleep overs,” Brown said. He also said he had no idea about the connection to Jones’ wife before he was hired.
*So why did Jones decide to leave Indiana for UNC?
“We’ve always followed North Carolina football, basketball, no matter where we were,” Jones said. “Coach Brown, in the coaching world, is a coach that you always feel like it a mentor that you look up to, and you sort of watch from afar.
“At Oklahoma State, and he was at Texas, we had some battles on Saturdays… So, I’ve always admitted him. And then to have the opportunity to come and be a part of this program, that was one of the things that really drew me to North Carolina, especially where the program is going right now.”
Jones said it was an easy decision to leave Indiana for UNC.
*He takes over a CB room that has had a lot of turn over. Experienced guys have gone to other schools, and UNC brought in a few experienced players from outside the program. Jones says everyone in the room has a clean slate with him, whether they are returning players or just arrived.
“With the world that we’re in now, with the transfer portal, every room could possibly (change),” he said. “I’ve had a chance like last week, spent two or three days, just sitting down talking to the guys getting to know them.
“I’m blessed, I have a great room, great group of young men. Watched them work out; they’re out there in the mornings working hard busting their tales. I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with them…
“Right now, there’s no depth chart. I told everybody when I met with them, everybody has a clean slate. I don’t care what happened before I got here, and I got here last Thursday, (so) last Thursday forward, that’s all I’m concerned about.”
Jones said he has watched film of everyone in the room to have a better idea of the group he now leads.
*Jones said he wants to use depth at corner. He doesn’t want his guys wearing down, so he plans on using backups.
*Brown noted some of the things that need to change in the secondary, notably at corner, but Jones was asked what were the main parts of his discussions with Brown, Gene Chizik and Charlton Warren about what they wanted to see change at the position.
“The biggest thing was technique, playing with better technique,” Jones said. “At times, when the ball is in the air, and as a corner, if you’re in position, you’ve got to be able to play the ball. Get your eyes around, and if you’ve got a chance to intercept it, go intercept it, or get the pass break up.
“As Coach Brown said, we’ve got to do a better job tackling. As a corner, a lot of times you’re going to be out there on the perimeter, I’m going to ask you to play man-to-man, but at times when you have to tackle, you have to tackle.”