STARKVILLE – Ask the Mississippi State defensive coaches to find a comparable talent to Chris Jones and there’s a definite silence.
Geoff Collins has coached at five different Division 1 programs including Alabama and Georgia Tech but the MSU defensive coordinator just couldn’t think of a defensive player he’s ever coached that looks, acts or plays like the freshman 305-pound defensive lineman.
“I was going to say (Detroit Lions wide receiver) Calvin Johnson because I had him at Georgia Tech in a completely dynamic but that same kind of physical presence,” Collins said. “So I guess he’s the Megatron of the defense in Starkville.”
Jones had two tackles, one tackle for loss, a pass brake-up and one huge sack Saturday vs. No. 1 Alabama after being double-team blocked by center and guard.
“I kind of figured a double team was coming on that play and (Preston Smith) drew the blockers in and the lane was clear after that,” Jones said. “It shocked me because it hasn’t been like that all year.”
After showing the play to Jones on film Sunday, Collins and the defensive staff had to tamper their own enthusiasm for the freshman, who was rated as the No. 2 high school player in the nation according to 247Sports.com, in order to continue to be able to teach the first-year player.
“He’s a kid that walks in the room and you can just feel the energy off him and we’re starting to see that on the football field,” Collins said. “The big thing is managing the expectations for him with his technique and fundamentals. We had to make sure he didn’t get frustrated early on when things weren’t going his way.”
Jones’ personality has allowed him to have a more interesting relationship with the MSU coaching staff, especially MSU head coach Dan Mullen, than the normal player-coach bond. Mullen was needling his star freshman Monday about his hometown of Houston, and Jones spoke about the arguments he has with Bulldogs defensive line coach David Turner.
“Coach Mullen is always trying to be hilarious and throwing out jabs about Houston and so I’ve had to bump him to get him to cool down,” Jones said with a smile. “Me and Coach Turner have our ups and down because we disagree on a lot of things. You’re not going to always agree with your coach…you’re not going to win a argument with Coach Turner.”
In his last four games, Jones has been more than disruptive at his defensive tackle position that he’s made clear he doesn’t want to stay at during his college career. Jones has 10 tackles, two passes broken up and four quarterback hurries in the last four games against Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Alabama.
“What’s great is as a freshman, I’m drawing constant double teams so it’ll eventually open up holes for other people to make plays,” Jones said. “I don’t have to make the play. I just need to do my job so the play can be made.”
Jones has made it as clear as possible that he’d like to be lined up permanently next year at defensive end and has been forced to make the sacrifice to play more inside at tackle because that’s where MSU needs him the most in 2013.
“You see Chris right now playing defensive end on third downs for us so to pigeon hole him at defensive tackle is wrong,” Collins said.
Jones even joked that with the current injury problems at quarterbacks, he’d be willing to try taking snaps from behind center to finish off the season.
“I tell Coach Mullen all the time now – put me back there (and) I can be the Cam Newton Jr.,” Jones said.
In that short four-game stretch Jones has become a leader on the defense similar to how Dak Prescott, a underclassmen at the quarterback position, has done the same thing for the MSU offense. Jones’ natural willingness to become more vocal has translated into his play and mindset on the football field because he has accepted the fact his teammates are already looking to him to make plays.
“I think we have to get our young guys to expect for them to make plays and not look around for other guys to make them,” Mullen said. “Young guys get caught up sometimes in asking themselves, ‘who is that guy?’ and then realizing ‘hang on, that guys is me’.”
Jones admitted that he fully anticipated the 2013 season being a transitional season for the Bulldogs (4-6, 1-5 in Southeastern Conference) as they approach this weekend needing to win its final two games for bowl eligibility, starting this week at Arkansas (11:21 a.m., SEC Network).
“I feel like next year we’ve got a great shot to be a top five team but maybe even the top team in the country with all the young players we got coming back,” Jones said.
Follow Matt Stevens on Twitter @matthewcstevens.
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