Nathaniel Jones tabbed secondary coach at MSU

Jones tabbed secondary coach at MSU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Trust and instinct played a vital role during Nathaniel Jones’ playing career as a member of the secondary in his playing days at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Just as Jones jumped slant routes for the then-Indians, he jumped on an airplane – at his own expense – from London last week to interview for an assistant coaching position at Midwestern State.
“I was working in the NFL-London office and wanted to get back home and God brought Midwestern’s way,” Jones said. “We (MSU coach Bill Maskill and I) kept talking and he told me to pack to stay. Things worked out.”
Jones will take over coaching the secondary for the Mustangs – a position created by the departure of Allen Johnson, who was hired at the University of Texas-El Paso to fill a similar position earlier this spring.
“He’s got a way with himself,” Maskill said. “I think the kids will play hard for him and be well-schooled.”
Jones spent the last year working for NFL Europe and took advantage of the opportunity to visit many historic sites in Europe including trips to Israel, Rome and Paris.
“I’m just a New Orleans boy and was able to see the world,” he said. “Now, we’re ready to sit still and bring a family up.”
Jones’ wife, Jaclyn, is set to join him in Wichita Falls later this year.
He completed his collegiate career as a four-year letter winner for Louisiana-Monroe while competing at cornerback, safety and outside linebacker. He was named team captain for the Indians as a senior.
Jones has taken a different path through the coaching ranks electing to begin at the prep level rather than taking a graduate assistant position after earning his bachelor’s degree from ULM in 2000.
“I went into a into coaching high school,” he said. “It was great getting to work with young people.”
Jones rose to defensive coordinator then became the youngest head coach in the state of Louisiana in two seasons at Joseph S. Clark High School in New Orleans where he led the program to its first postseason appearance in more than 10 years.
Jones then spent two seasons as an assistant coach in charge of linebackers and head track coach at John H. Reagan High School in Houston before accepting defensive back coaching duties at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Ill. in 2005.
He then made the move back to Louisiana to mentor cornerbacks at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches in 2006 before accepting a position with NFL-Europe in London where he served as a scout and put on camps.
Finally over the jet lag and thankful he is now able to unpack the excessive baggage he lugged all the way from London, Jones is prepared to take the challenge at MSU.
“I’m just getting adapted to the time change,” he said. “Wichita Falls is a great city and I feel blessed to be here.”