 Building a program is done in increments, and thus far the University of South Alabama has climbed the ladder of success with relative ease thanks to the efforts of head coach Joey Jones.The Jaguars’ mentor, who will be entering his third season and fourth year in charge of the program in the fall, has put together one of the top staffs in the nation, recruited more than 65 scholarship players to the program and lent a hand in efforts to help the school raise funds for the program as well as construct a $10 million field house on the west side of campus since being hired in February 2008. On the field, the results have surpassed even the school’s most ardent supporters’ wildest dreams — a 17-0 record in two seasons of competition. Just 22 months after taking over the reins of the school’s start-up football venture, Jones helped lead the Jags to an undefeated record in its first-ever season on the field in 2009. And not only did USA go 7-0 against a schedule that included four high-level prep programs, two top-20 junior colleges and a qualifier for the NCAA Division III playoffs, but it outscored the opposition 321-41 while never trailing at any point during the season. The Jaguars’ dominance was seen in all phases of the game in 2009. Defensively, they surrendered only 234 yards per contest, including just 61 on the ground as foes averaged less than two yards per carry. On offense, USA racked up just under 440 yards per outing led by a rushing attack that collected 267 yards per game and better than six per carry. Jag placekickers connected on 83 percent of their field-goal attempts, while the punting unit averaged 42 yards per kick.  The Jags would face a tougher schedule that included all four-year institutions in 2010, including four at or on the way to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA), but the results would be the same — USA completed a 10-0 season while outscoring the opposition 413-130.The offense once again racked up nearly 440 total yards per outing, though a more balanced unit collected better than 200 yards per game both rushing (232.4) and passing (207.3). Defensively, the Jaguars shut out three opponents and limited two others to a single-digit point total, surrendering just 81 yards per game on the ground and 255 overall. And on the basis of recording 25 takeaways (15 interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries), USA posted a plus-10 turnover margin. Several areas of special teams play showed significant improvement in year two under Jones, with the Jaguars nearly doubling their punt return average (going from 8.8 per run back in ’09 to 16.0 last fall) while USA placekickers connected on 17 field goals one year after converting only four. Off the field, 18 individuals carried a 3.0 grade-point average or better in the program’s initial season, while 32 student-athletes recorded a 3.0 in at least one of two semesters during the 2009-10 academic year. Following the announcement in December 2007 that the school was going to begin playing football, former USA Director of Athletics Joe Gottfried and the head coach search committee laid out their list of qualifications for the program’s first-ever head coach which included three key qualities they desired. They wanted to find someone with collegiate experience, someone with ties to Alabama and the Mobile area, and someone with the youthful energy needed to start a program from scratch. As the process continued further and further along, one name continued to rise back to the top — that of Jones. Formerly the head coach at Birmingham-Southern and a native of Mobile, Jones was named as South Alabama’s first head football coach on February 15, 2008, culminating a month-long search. Jones, 48, is no stranger to building programs from the ground up at both the high school and collegiate level. He returned to his hometown after two years at Birmingham-Southern, where he was hired in 2006 to restart the school’s football program there. After spending a year overseeing administrative aspects of the program such as hiring assistant coaches, designing facilities and recruiting players for the Division III program, he led his 2007 squad of 126 freshmen to a 3-7 overall record, including a pair of wins over established junior-college programs. Success has followed Jones throughout his career, both as a coach and as a player. Before moving into the college ranks, he compiled an impressive 125-38 (76.7%) record in 13 years at the high school level, including a 10-year run at Birmingham’s Mountain Brook High, where he was 101-27 (78.9%) from 1996-05. After inheriting a program that had endured nine consecutive losing seasons, Jones directed the Spartans to the 1996 Class 6A state championship game, four region titles, two semifinal appearances and three quarterfinal appearances during his tenure. In his second season with the Spartans, they won a postseason contest before falling in the second round in overtime, while his efforts helped MBHS reach the quarterfinals each of the next two falls. Jones led the program to a first-round victory in the 2001 postseason before helping the school return to the state semifinals a year later. In 2003, the Spartans reached the quarterfinals of the state playoffs, while they would go on to reach the semifinals the next season and win another first-round game in Jones’ final year leading the program. Jones began his head coaching career at Dora High School, where he registered a 24-11 (68.6%) mark in three seasons (1991-93). It took just one year for him to lead the Bulldogs to postseason action, as they won a first round state 5A playoff contest before falling in overtime in 1992, while his efforts took the school to the quarterfinals the next season. From 1989-90, he served on the Briarwood Christian staff, helping the school to a berth in the quarterfinals of the state 3A playoffs his final year. A 1989 graduate of Alabama with a degree in business administration, Jones became one of the most beloved Crimson Tide players during his tenure, which began under the tutelage of legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. In Jones’ four seasons in Tuscaloosa, the Tide compiled a record of 35-12-1 (74%), including two Cotton Bowl appearances. He finished his career with 71 receptions, 1,386 yards and 15 touchdowns, ranking fourth on the career touchdown receptions chart and seventh in career receiving yards. As a junior in 1982, Jones had eight TD receptions, which ranks tied for third in UA single-season record book. Jones earned all-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior after hauling in 31 receptions for 468 yards and five scores. He was later selected to Alabama’s All-Decade Team for the 1980s and played professionally with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. And in April, Jones — who prepped locally at Murphy High School — was inducted into the Mobile Hall of Fame. Jones and his wife, Elise, have three children, Joe, Jr., (25), Jake (23) and Caroline (16).
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