USC’s defensive voice, Ernest Jones tackles ‘very high standard’ coaches have for him
In the midst of a key defensive stand in South Carolina football’s 41-7 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday, Ernest Jones almost had to miss a play because his helmet couldn’t stay on. A few minutes later, he was on the sideline — with his helmet off — celebrating a game-changing stop.
Midway through the second quarter, things weren’t looking so good for Jones and the Gamecock defense. They were leading 3-0 on a sloppy, rainy afternoon, but the Commodores had surged down the field inside the 10-yard line. If Vandy was able to punch it in for a touchdown, the Gamecocks would be facing a deficit against a team they were favored to beat by two touchdowns.
And making things worse, Jones lost his helmet on second down. Under NCAA rules, he would have to sit out the next play. That’s when Carolina coach Will Muschamp called timeout.
The timeout, Muschamp said after the game, was because he thought his defense was confused on the play call and needed to regroup. But it also allowed Jones, the middle linebacker and vocal leader of the unit, to return to the game and not miss a play. After stopping the Commodores and forcing a fourth-and-2 on the 3-yard line, the Gamecocks geared up for a final stand.
Sure enough, Jones correctly read the play-action from Vanderbilt quarterback Ken Seals and rolled out to cover him. As Seals tried to sprint to the edge, Jones stayed with him and pulled him down a yard behind the line of scrimmage along the sideline, giving South Carolina a much-needed turnover on downs.
“I kind of figured we would get some type of play-action and they were going to try to get the back out,” Jones said. “Once I saw that the back was taken for and accounted for, I just went on and tried to go get the quarterback. And I got to him.”
Jones immediately jumped up, ripped off his helmet and made his way up the sideline, jubilant. He sat down on the bench and let freshman defensive back Dominick Hill celebrate by wiping down his arms with a towel. Then Jones got up and went back to the sideline to watch the offense go to work.
“I don’t know where that came from. I was a little tired, too, so I was ready to go sit down and go and get on the bench as is,” Jones laughed after the game.
That goal line stand was one of team-high 13 tackles for Jones on the game, three for loss. It was also his first sack of the season.
After leading the Gamecocks in tackles a season ago, Jones is once again first on the unit in stops, with 29 through three games. Muschamp noted that while Jones still recorded 16 tackles in the opening two weeks of the season, this Saturday seemed like the first time Jones played to the coaching staff’s lofty expectations.
“We put a lot on him in order for us to function defensively. So I think he’s played well in the first three ball games (but) we’re gonna have a very high standard on him. And that’s what I told him, I said I think he played OK in the first two ball games, but not to the standard you need to play to,” Muschamp said. “I haven’t watched the film yet, but I know he flashed and made some plays that he needs to make.”
Jones felt that extra edge, too — after making just 0.5 tackles for loss in the first two games, he was in the backfield far more often Saturday.
“I feel like that’s the kind of game I’ve been looking for. And now that it’s come, I’m trying to build off it, I’m trying to keep going up and tackling and doing what I need to do as the Mike linebacker and make plays for for my defense,” Jones said.
Next USC football game
Who: Auburn at South Carolina
When: Noon Saturday, Oct. 17
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium
TV: ESPN
