Mr. Versatile
Published 12:17 am Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Odds are that if you watch the Snohomish football team this fall, Derek Jones will be making a difference on the field.
Besides starting in the offensive backfield and on defense, Jones will contribute on special teams too. Snohomish coach Mark Perry estimates that Jones, who in 2006 rushed for 1,303 yards and 14 touchdowns, will be involved in at least 90 percent of the Panthers’ plays.
Even though Jones is listed as a fullback/safety/linebacker, if neces-sary he could make an impact at virtually any position, Perry said: “He’s just a natural athlete. We could play him anywhere and he’d still be successful.”
Jones is also a star baseball player who plans to accept a 75-percent baseball scholarship from Washington State University. This fall, how-ever, he’ll use his numerous skills to generate hits on the gridiron.
ALL THE RIGHT MOVES
Speed helps running backs but it’s not the only important asset. Jones, for example, runs the 40-yard dash in a modest 4.92 seconds but still ranks among the county’s top ball carriers. “A lot of it is about get-ting to the hole and making the right moves. It’s not all about speed,” said Jones.
The senior has good vision and quickness, said Perry: “He’s not blazing fast but he’s quick. He hits the line of scrimmage in a heartbeat, and now he’s got 5 yards.”
“And if there isn’t a defender,” Perry added, “he’s got 12 yards.”
‘D’ UP
A third-year starter on defense, Jones gets more attention for his of-fensive exploits. But he takes just as much pride in shutting down the other team and hopes to step up in that area this season. “I want to do better on defense because everybody kind of knows me as an offensive player,” said Jones, who in ‘06 earned All-Wesco North First Team honors on offense but received no all-league recognition for defense.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
As Snohomish’s workhorse back last season, Jones carried the ball 191 times, an average of about 19 carries per game. Jones will get plenty of carries this fall but he’ll have help from a talented backfield group that includes seniors Terrance Marshall and Miles Semanskee. It should help reduce the grind on Jones. “It won’t have to be only Derek,” Perry said. “They’ll help him out.”
By the numbers
250 – Yards rushing Jones had in his first varsity start at running back (Sept. 1, 2006 versus Cascade).
6 – Games last season in which Jones rushed for at least 100 yards. He did it in each of Snohomish’s first three contests.
4.92 – In seconds, Jones’ time in the 40-yard dash — not very intimidating. However, he uses good quickness and vision to pile up yards.
2003 – Snohomish hasn’t qualified for postseason play since 2003, a three-season drought that Jones said he expects to end this fall.
