'12 NY DT Jarron Jones (Notre Dame Signed LOI)

Ultimate Penn St. Hater

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PANDFAN said:
Jarron Jones didn’t even want to go to the games.

Conscious he’d never get off the sidelines as a freshman, the defensive end preferred to stay back on campus rather than suit up for trips to Oklahoma and USC. His mind wandered in team meetings toward quitting.

That attitude underscored what was obvious to Notre Dame’s coaching staff, that Jones wasn’t a functional part of the Irish roster last season.

“Jarron is starting to play like a freshman in college now,” said defensive line coach Mike Elston. “He was playing like a high school senior a year ago in terms of his immaturity, his lack of aggressiveness.”

In personality, Jones slips seamlessly into the defensive line meeting room with Louis Nix, Stephon Tuitt and Sheldon Day. In background, the former national recruit and U.S. Army All-American does not.

Tuitt, Nix and Day evolved within prep powerhouses. They worked against FBS competition during the week. They worked against FBS competition on Friday nights. Jones was told to go half-speed in practices at the Aquinas Institute in Rochester, N.Y., because he’d bowl over offensive linemen six inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter.

What made Jones so imposing on high school film extended his orientation to college football. It turned Jones into scout team meat for Notre Dame’s starting offensive line. On one practice play last fall Zack Martin and Chris Watt doubled Jones, planting him into the ground. Watt flipped Jones and landed on him, spraining the freshman’s ankle.

“I was so used to laying off,” Jones said. “I’m not really the type of person who likes hurting people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a brawler, don’t think of me as a gentle giant, but I don’t like getting people injured. I felt like when I was back at home, because everyone was so smaller than me, me instilling power and will on people like that, I felt like I was going to hurt them.

“I just don’t worry about that no more. Everyone is my size. Everyone’s been working out as hard as I do.”

It’s not clear where Jones will fit into Notre Dame’s defensive line rotation this season, only that he’ll fit in somewhere. He’s working at Kapron Lewis-Moore’s vacated position, but that’s been filled by Sheldon Day and Tony Springmann. That’s left Jones on the third-team. Eddie Vanderdoes and Isaac Rochell enroll this summer.

Still, there’s no question Jones can be functional depth for Notre Dame this season with four years of eligibility remaining. He’s endured some tough love from the Irish staff and Nix to help him get there.

Jones sought empathy from Nix about the red-shirt experience last season. Nix said he sat out because he was almost 370 pounds, then told Jones that he sat out because “you just suck,” according to the defensive end. Nix didn’t deny it.

“That helped me pick my game up,” Jones said “I don’t like getting picked on by Lou because he’s the loudest person in the locker room. So if he picks on me, everybody’s gonna hear it. Then everybody is gonna start laughing.

“Some people just have different ways of showing you love. His is just tougher.”

Jones figures to get more of that feedback next season as he cracks the lineup for the first time. Head coach Brian Kelly downplayed Jones as pass rusher and said his role was tracking toward a “handful of plays” per game.

But even if Jones is months or years from achieving his 6-foot-5, 295-pound potential, the sophomore now feels locked into getting there. He says his mind doesn’t wander anymore. Come fall, he won’t want to be back on campus during road games.

“(Last year) people would just tell me, ‘Hey Jarron, good game!’ Thanks, I didn’t play.
That also drove me to want to get better,” he said. “When people say ‘Good game!’ I’ll say, ‘Thanks, I’m glad you watched.”
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Good article. Thanks for posting.
 
dublinirish

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great article..from following Jones on twitter you can definitely tell he has a maturity problem. he could do with laying off the social networking for a while and concentrating on his game

anyone think ishaq may have experienced the same "afraid to hurt people" thing from coming from a similar low standard of football in NY? He was very tentative early in his ND career, hopefully he can become an on-field "serial killer" this year and the light comes on.
 
CanadalovesND

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dublinirish said:
great article..from following Jones on twitter you can definitely tell he has a maturity problem. he could do with laying off the social networking for a while and concentrating on his game

anyone think ishaq may have experienced the same "afraid to hurt people" thing from coming from a similar low standard of football in NY? He was very tentative early in his ND career, hopefully he can become an on-field "serial killer" this year and the light comes on.
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No, I'd say it's just there personality. Not everyone plays football with a "nasty streak", some are just passive players, but still get the job done.
 
Irishman77

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Wake up Jarron! We need you....

13
Day. Nix. Tuitt

14
Ishaq. Day. Tuitt/ Jones/Rochell
 
E

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He needs to step up right now, especially with the loss of EV. Right now he is the closest thing to a NT/DT on this team, although he is listed as a DE. He will be key in the future.
 
Sherm Sticky

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EuropeanDomer said:
He needs to step up right now, especially with the loss of EV. Right now he is the closest thing to a NT/DT on this team, although he is listed as a DE. He will be key in the future.
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Disagree. I see him more as Tuitt a pure 3-4 DE. Day to me is more closer to DT/NT
 
Emcee77

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I know it's unlikely but I'm praying that Hounshell can return in good shape in 2014. I think he could be a Cwynar-like nose guard if his shoulder comes back around. And Springmann, too, has the physicality, although with his height and length I know the staff likes him at DE. And of course there's Day, although he is so quick and athletic that it seems a waste to use him inside.
 
IrishLax

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He's built to be a prototypical run stopper... I don't think play NT is out of the question down the road. The problem, from what I've read everywhere by everyone, is that he just isn't strong/physical enough. That's a huge bummer to me as I thought he had tremendous upside. At 6'5" 300 he should be able to set the edge or clog up holes with the best of them. He was definitely athletic in HS. In hindsight, probably had a much higher ceiling on the OL... but he's only a RS soph so tehre is hope.
 
NDPhilly

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IrishLax said:
He's built to be a prototypical run stopper... I don't think play NT is out of the question down the road. The problem, from what I've read everywhere by everyone, is that he just isn't strong/physical enough. That's a huge bummer to me as I thought he had tremendous upside. At 6'5" 300 he should be able to set the edge or clog up holes with the best of them. He was definitely athletic in HS. In hindsight, probably had a much higher ceiling on the OL... but he's only a RS soph so tehre is hope.
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Only a RS Freshman actually.
 
chicago51

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I'll be honest I forgot this guy was on our team. Which is surprising I really wanted him back when ND was recruiting him.
 
Luckylucci

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He's been easily forgettable. Like the kid and think he can still have a bright future but he really needs to wrap his head around what its going to take to be an impact player on a daily basis.
 
IrishLax

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NDPhilly said:
Only a RS Freshman actually.
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Grrrr.... that's what I meant Soph who has taken RS year... still always trips me up when you're supposed to refer to a kid as not the graduating class that they're in.
 
dshans

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IrishLax said:
Grrrr.... that's what I meant Soph who has taken RS year... still always trips me up when you're supposed to refer to a kid as not the graduating class that they're in.
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I agree. I find it disconcerting and disturbing that designations for college athletes are weighted toward sports eligibility rather than academic standing.

A "red shirt freshman" is (or should be) a sophomore in terms of academic standing. As I recall there were clear expectations and requirements to progress as a full time student "in good standing." None made reference to anything having to do with sports – pick-up, intramural or varsity.

I, personally, would rather that what is now referred to as a "red shirt freshman" be described as a "red shirt sophomore" to reflect the academic rather than the athletic. "Fifth year" players could (and in the case of ND, should) be described as "grad school players." In some cases (SEC & USC) they could be fifth year dilettantes taking ballroom dancing or keg tapping 501.
 
Rhode Irish

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Luckylucci said:
He's been easily forgettable. Like the kid and think he can still have a bright future but he really needs to wrap his head around what its going to take to be an impact player on a daily basis.
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Not trying to pick you out, because this is a common opinion, but I don't get why it is a common opinion. This happens with all fan bases of all college sports - fans give up on guys or consider them "behind the curve" because they don't emerge as a star in their first year on campus. Jarron hasn't even begun using his eligibility yet. Maybe he will become a player, and maybe he won't. But to decide that now based on - at best - third hand information is a little premature in my view.
 
NDWorld247

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dshans said:
I agree. I find it disconcerting and disturbing that designations for college athletes are weighted toward sports eligibility rather than academic standing.
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There was no difference academically between Johnny Manziel and Tim Tebow, yet Manziel was the first freshman to win the Heisman. The media ate it up and it drove me nuts.

Rhode Irish said:
Not trying to pick you out, because this is a common opinion, but I don't get why it is a common opinion. This happens with all fan bases of all college sports - fans give up on guys or consider them "behind the curve" because they don't emerge as a star in their first year on campus. Jarron hasn't even begun using his eligibility yet. Maybe he will become a player, and maybe he won't. But to decide that now based on - at best - third hand information is a little premature in my view.
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Unfortunately for Jarron, he will undoubtebly be compared to our recent studs on the DL - KLM, Tuitt, Nix...If he isn't an All-American, many will label him a 'bust' because of how highly rated he was coming out of HS. IMO, we don't need him to break out this year. If he can start contributing in 2014 and become a starter in 2015 and 2016, he will have a solid career at ND.
 
B

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dshans said:
I agree. I find it disconcerting and disturbing that designations for college athletes are weighted toward sports eligibility rather than academic standing.

A "red shirt freshman" is (or should be) a sophomore in terms of academic standing. As I recall there were clear expectations and requirements to progress as a full time student "in good standing." None made reference to anything having to do with sports – pick-up, intramural or varsity.

I, personally, would rather that what is now referred to as a "red shirt freshman" be described as a "red shirt sophomore" to reflect the academic rather than the athletic. "Fifth year" players could (and in the case of ND, should) be described as "grad school players." In some cases (SEC & USC) they could be fifth year dilettantes taking ballroom dancing or keg tapping 501.
Click to expand...

I was a consensus five star prospect in that coming out of high school and exceed all expectations my freshman year.
 
tadman95

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Bluto said:
I was a consensus five star prospect in that coming out of high school and exceed all expectations my freshman year.
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I vaguely remember my freshman year. No recollection of the sophomore years.
 
Rhode Irish

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NDWorld247 said:
Unfortunately for Jarron, he will undoubtebly be compared to our recent studs on the DL - KLM, Tuitt, Nix...If he isn't an All-American, many will label him a 'bust' because of how highly rated he was coming out of HS. IMO, we don't need him to break out this year. If he can start contributing in 2014 and become a starter in 2015 and 2016, he will have a solid career at ND.
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Agree 100%
 
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