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Mooney connection powers Kentucky
By Brian Dzenis
From 10 to 100.
Those are Kentucky linebacker Jordan Jones total tackles from his freshman to sophomore seasons. Those numbers also reflect the rise in Cardinal Mooney graduate’s stock within his team and the rest of the SEC.
Since becoming a starter at the beginning of this college football season, Jones has emerged as a key contributor for a Wildcats team heading to its first bowl game in six years.
Jones has kept the media spotlight at arms length during his breakout season. According to Kentucky-based media outlets, outside of a few post-game appearances and the team’s media day, Jones is a rare presence in front of a microphone.
The blog SEC Country wrote that while he’s one of the most sought-after interviews after Wildcats’ practices, he doesn’t speak after practice.
On Dec. 10, he surprised reporters with his first post-practice interview of the season. As smiled and nodded through questions, he had teammate Kash Daniel speak at his behest.
But when he spoke to the Vindicator a week later, it was the real thing.
“I got you bro. Only because you’re from back home,” Jones said.
Jones’ 100 tackles lead the team and is second in the SEC. That also includes 14 for a loss and has four sacks and a forced fumble. He is the first Kentucky player to compile such stats and they helped him become a second-team All-SEC selection.
Jones doesn’t give to much thought to the outside perspective of himself or his team. What does he focus on? He’d like to gain 10 more pounds of muscle in time for next season. He wants to be bigger, faster and a better linebacker.
“I don’t really pay attention to any of it. It doesn’t matter if people really know me right now, I have to keep proving myself and that’s what it’s all about,” Jones said. “It’s great that I was named All-SEC, but I still have a lot of work to do. I didn’t get first-team All-SEC and that kind of bothers me.”
That attitude allowed him to seize a starting role right out of camp as a sophomore. It only took one game for him to show he was ready for the role.
“I wasn’t surprised (I became the starter) because I felt I worked at it and I deserved to be in there,” Jones said. “I was surprised when I got in my first game and I got 19 tackles. I was leading the nation at the time and that was pretty awesome.”
That strong opening act was overshadowed by the result of the game, a 44-35 loss to Southern Mississippi where the Wilcats squandered a 25-point lead. Kentucky followed up with 45-7 defeat against Florida. Jones credits coach Mark Stoops —also a Mooney guy— for the turnaround.
“Coach Stoops made us practice how we were going to play. We weren’t practicing how were were supposed to, which is why we lost the first two games,” Jones said. “He turned it up a notch and since then, everyone has been on board.”
On the field and in the coaching staff, Kentucky is home to a handful of local talent. In addition to Stoops, tight ends coach Vince Marrow hails from Mooney. Jones has two teammates from his alma mater, defensive back Marcus McWilson and linebacker Courtney Love, and defensive tackle Tymere Dubose is from Valley Christian.
The Wildcats closed out the year 7-5 —good for Stoops’ first winning season with the program— and will face Georgia Tech in the TaxSlayer Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
But Jones’ favorite moment of the season so far is getting the better of state rival No. 13 Louisville an Heisman Trophy-winner Lamar Jackson in a 41-38 victory. Jones had 10 tackles, including two for a loss and got half a sack on Jackson.
“We were already bowl eligible by that point and to beat Lamar and see him win the Heisman? That was awesome,” Jones said. “He’s a hell of a player. He makes you stay on your feet and stay aware. If you slack off, he’ll make you pay for it.”
At Mooney, Jones arrived as a junior after transferring from Reynoldsburg High. He grew up in Columbus, but his father is from Youngstown. Jones was apart of the 2013 team that made it to the state championship, losing to Clarksville Clinton-Massie, 27-21.
“Just being around the people in Youngstown, it’s very family-oriented,” Jones said. “Everyone knows each other and is close to each other and I liked that.”
He’s not ready to come home just yet, there’s a bowl game to play.
“It’s just a different atmosphere. At this time of year last year, everybody is getting ready to go home,” Jones said. “It’s like your season is never-ending and it’s awesome.”