All Things RB Jeffrey Jones Thread

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50PoundHead said:
Agree. Jones could be one of those guys who moves around all over the backfield depending on situation and playcall. He's one of those guys who appears to have the talent that could be used in a variety of ways on the offensive side of the ball.
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Agreed!!! After seeing him play, I see him as a Percy Harvin type or athlete that can play many places (D included) more than a true RB.
 



GoldenUMNGopher said:
That interview went well....Not counting on him staying with his MN verbal.
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Jeff seems very odd in that interview. The responses were indecisive, and just weird in general. With this kid, I'm sure anything can happen. I hope he stays/becomes a gopher!
 

Eeesh. Somebody make me feel better about JJ. Seems likely that he's going to bolt. Too bad. He could be a real home-town hero.
 


MZBKA said:
Eeesh. Somebody make me feel better about JJ. Seems likely that he's going to bolt. Too bad. He could be a real home-town hero.
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Well winning games should help, beat an SEC school in our bowl game and that would help a lot
 

1st, Jones is a player despite his conference. Agreed his HS stats mean little, but what does matter is that KillCo have seen him live in camp & want him bad. As do other teams that saw him camp. As do recruiting "experts". No doubt this kid can play in my mind.

That said, Jones has grades issues so there's that. Then, we've done everything we can to woo JJ now for years on end & we're winning. If he wants to bolt, he can bolt. Not every kid is destines to be a Gopher. We'll get someone else in here who does want to be here & I have no doubt we'll get someone as good or better.
 

I love what winning does. It seems everyone has learned that this coaching staff can make winners out of the bottom recruiting classes and now if we lose a huge in-state recruit like Jones, we aren't devastated. We're going to lose Hageman, Hill, Filkins, Hawthorne, Baltazar, Vereen, Manual, Engle and Shabazz but we know Maxx W., Wolitarsky, Lynn, Hkpe, Jones, Edwards, Myrick and any number of players who totally surprise us, will step in and more than fill what is missing. We are getting bigger, faster and more athletic. And although our recruiting classes are at the bottom (mostly because they are so small), we are slowly getting better and better recruits. The truth is winning has made true believers out of the gopherhole folks. We now believe more than we fear a letdown.....I love it.
 

If he doesn't want to be here, so be it. We are on the cusp of becoming a VERY dominant run team which will allow us to keep 99% of our in-state linemen in the coming years. That, combined with Kill's history of success with RBs at lower levels, should in turn allow us to recruit RBs on the same level (if not better) as Jones in the future. Another thing is even if we lose Jones, we are going to redshirt Berkeley this year so he essentially steps in as our stud freshman running back next year. I am very optimistic about this offense's future, with or without Jones.
 



Gopher Hole: I know that a lot of Gopher fans would love to see you for the hometown team. What would it mean to you to play for the Gophers?
Jeff Jones: It would mean a lot, if that is the school that I pick, just because I was born and raised here. If not, so be it. It will be a good opportunity
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All his answers in this interview are short which makes him seem uninterested. The last one being the most telling.

I think we have a positive future with or without this young man. Who knows; he could turn out to be as productive as Willie Mobley, Andre McDonald and Bryce McNeal.
 

per Shama:

Jeff Jones, the Gophers’ only four-star recruit per Rivals.com who has verbally committed for 2014, ended his senior season for Washburn on Friday night with 44 touchdowns — 34 rushing, eight receiving and two kickoff returns for scores. Coach Giovan Jenkins told Sports Headliners that Kill’s struggles with epilepsy haven’t diminished his running back’s interest in the Gophers.

“If he had to pick a school today, I think Minnesota would be No. 1 due to his relationships with the coaches,” said Jenkins who coached the Millers to a 6-0 City Conference record and 13th consecutive title.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!
 

After watching what Cobb has done this season and the continued growth and productivity of our OL, Jones would be a fool to not sign with us.
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Washburn RB and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> soft verbal Jeff Jones (<a href="https://twitter.com/WaveyJJ_10">@WaveyJJ_10</a>) is in the process of finalizing plans for an official to Iowa St. on Friday.</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/statuses/397512086315491328">November 4, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 



jaymil said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Washburn RB and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> soft verbal Jeff Jones (<a href="https://twitter.com/WaveyJJ_10">@WaveyJJ_10</a>) is in the process of finalizing plans for an official to Iowa St. on Friday.</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/statuses/397512086315491328">November 4, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Doogie with a scoop related to Iowa State? No way! Although perhaps someone other than Fred Hoiberg's agent is his source.
 

Well, he's not going to pick Iowa State over Minnesota. That'd just be stupid.
 

MadtownGopher said:
If he doesn't want to be here, so be it. We are on the cusp of becoming a VERY dominant run team which will allow us to keep 99% of our in-state linemen in the coming years. That, combined with Kill's history of success with RBs at lower levels, should in turn allow us to recruit RBs on the same level (if not better) as Jones in the future. Another thing is even if we lose Jones, we are going to redshirt Berkeley this year so he essentially steps in as our stud freshman running back next year. I am very optimistic about this offense's future, with or without Jones.
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i just feel that getting/not getting Jeff Jones is the difference between Minnesota being a very good offense/rush attack to an elite offense/rush attack, no disrespect to Cobb, Donnell or Roderick but watching that IU game and a few others made me realize that those guys are not elite backs, productive but not elite talent wise, when David Cobb got passed the second level untouched he was incapable of taking it all the way and got stopped on the 3 yard line, that has happened a few times this season and last year with all 3 backs, a guy like Jeff Jones would be able to take it all the way but he also would be able to take and deliver more punishment and fight for a few more extra yards then a smaller back like Berkely Edwards, andJeff's lateral ability is just as good as anybodies in the nation, i will admit that Cobb had a few nifty moves in the IU and Nebraska making guys miss in open space but its unparalled to what Jeff can do, Donnell has below mediocre lateral moves and Roderick has almost none, JJ should be an Ameer Abdullah/Melvin Gordon caliber back both of whom i would take any day over Cobb/Kirkwood
 

die hard gopher said:
i just feel that getting/not getting Jeff Jones is the difference between Minnesota being a very good offense/rush attack to an elite offense/rush attack, no disrespect to Cobb, Donnell or Roderick but watching that IU game and a few others made me realize that those guys are not elite backs, productive but not elite talent wise, when David Cobb got passed the second level untouched he was incapable of taking it all the way and got stopped on the 3 yard line, that has happened a few times this season and last year with all 3 backs, a guy like Jeff Jones would be able to take it all the way but he also would be able to take and deliver more punishment and fight for a few more extra yards then a smaller back like Berkely Edwards, JJ should be an Ameer Abdullah/Melvin Gordon caliber back both of whom i would take any day over Cobb/Kirkwood
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I agree with you completely except for the Abdullah/Gordon comment. Those guys have proven to be all conference and I'm hesitant to proclaim any recruit, no matter what their star status, to be at that level until we see them play against college competition. This is especially true when that top talent comes from a relatively soft football state like Minnesota and in a relatively soft conference.
 

just wait for edwards next year, kid has the extra gear and will certainly not get caught. Also it is a hell of a lot easier to run faster when you dont have the ball to hold on to.
 

t-docious said:
just wait for edwards next year, kid has the extra gear and will certainly not get caught. Also it is a hell of a lot easier to run faster when you dont have the ball to hold on to.
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do you think Berkely could be as good of a back as James White or Venric Mark? just curious
 


die hard gopher said:
i just feel that getting/not getting Jeff Jones is the difference between Minnesota being a very good offense/rush attack to an elite offense/rush attack, no disrespect to Cobb, Donnell or Roderick but watching that IU game and a few others made me realize that those guys are not elite backs, productive but not elite talent wise, when David Cobb got passed the second level untouched he was incapable of taking it all the way and got stopped on the 3 yard line, that has happened a few times this season and last year with all 3 backs, a guy like Jeff Jones would be able to take it all the way but he also would be able to take and deliver more punishment and fight for a few more extra yards then a smaller back like Berkely Edwards, andJeff's lateral ability is just as good as anybodies in the nation, i will admit that Cobb had a few nifty moves in the IU and Nebraska making guys miss in open space but its unparalled to what Jeff can do, Donnell has below mediocre lateral moves and Roderick has almost none, JJ should be an Ameer Abdullah/Melvin Gordon caliber back both of whom i would take any day over Cobb/Kirkwood
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You never know if he will even be a good college player. I think this statement is a bit drastic.
 

I saw him play briefly Friday night and he didn't appear to be all that big to me. I would guess he will need to put on some weight before being a feature back.
 

die hard gopher said:
i just feel that getting/not getting Jeff Jones is the difference between Minnesota being a very good offense/rush attack to an elite offense/rush attack, no disrespect to Cobb, Donnell or Roderick but watching that IU game and a few others made me realize that those guys are not elite backs, productive but not elite talent wise, when David Cobb got passed the second level untouched he was incapable of taking it all the way and got stopped on the 3 yard lithat has happened a few times this season and last year with all 3 backs, a guy like Jeff Jones would be able to take it all the way but he also would be able to take and deliver more punishment and fight for a few more extra yards then a smaller back like Berkely Edwards, andJeff's lateral ability is just as good as anybodies in the nation, i will admit that Cobb had a few nifty moves in the IU and Nebraska making guys miss in open space but its unparalled to what Jeff can do, Donnell has below mediocre lateral moves and Roderick has almost none, JJ should be an Ameer Abdullah/Melvin Gordon caliber back both of whom i would take any day over Cobb/Kirkwood
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I could be mistaken but IIRC his 40 time wasn't elite level at a summer camp ( I know, I know). From what I've seen, which isn't much, seems like his major pluses are his shake and bake, ankle breaker moves and his vision, not necessarily blazing speed. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. But, a rb can ride those attributes a long way.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
I could be mistaken but IIRC his 40 time wasn't elite level at a summer camp ( I know, I know). From what I've seen, which isn't much, seems like his major pluses are his shake and bake, ankle breaker moves and his vision, not necessarily blazing speed. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. But, a rb can ride those attributes a long way.
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Barry Sanders certainly rode those a long way.
 

Jeff Jones says that Kill's health does affect him, per the Daily:

Jones said Kill’s battle with epilepsy affects his recruitment tremendously.

“You never know if [Kill’s] telling the truth or not, but I believe him,” Jones said. “I don’t believe he’ll be going anywhere any time soon, but it’s always in the back of my head when I’m looking at another school that has a coaching staff established.”

Jones said the uncertainty surrounding Kill’s health does concern him a bit, especially when he’s trying to make a career out of football.

“It does [scare me] — just the fact that it isn’t a small thing,” Jones said. “It depends on my career as a college player. Will he be my head coach or not? That’s significant to me.”

http://www.mndaily.com/sports/football/2013/11/05/kill’s-leave-gophers’-wins-impact-recruiting

Go Gophers!!
 

per Shama:

Washburn running back Jeff Jones has yet to schedule official college visits but his coach expects favored destinations will be Michigan State, Minnesota and Missouri. “I think if he had to choose today he would be a Gopher,” coach Giovan Jenkins told Sports Headliners on Friday.

Jenkins said Jones, who has received scholarship offers from all three schools, has a GPA of about 2.1 and the Rivals.com four-star running back is awaiting the result of his second ACT test. Jenkins expects Jones to have no problem in academically qualifying for a college athletic scholarship.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Jenkins said Jones, who has received scholarship offers from all three schools, has a GPA of about 2.1 and the Rivals.com four-star running back is awaiting the result of his second ACT test. Jenkins expects Jones to have no problem in academically qualifying for a college athletic scholarship.
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Yikes. I'm not sure what the current requirements are, but the new NCAA requirements, effective 2016, say that a student must earn at least a 2.3 in their core courses, and that's assuming they do well on their SAT/ACT. A low score necessitates a higher GPA.

And that's to get into ANY college, let alone a B1G one.
 

Being academically eligible was more of a concern last year for Jones, but he got tutors and increased his GPA quite a bit. I'm not sure what the minimum GPA/ACT is (although there's a sliding scale that I could easily look up), but I keep on hearing that Jeff will be fine academically. No longer a concern as long as he doesn't bomb any classes senior year...
 

Missouri already has 25 commitments for this class including 2 RB's. Michigan St. also has 2 RB commits already. A lot can happen before February but I wonder if either team even has room for Jones.
 


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