Adrian Jones, who spent four standout seasons (1994-97) as an Eagles cornerback, returned to his alma-mater for his second stint as an NCCU assistant coach in January 2014, this time as running backs coach.
Jones rejoins the NCCU coaching staff after guiding his high school alma-mater, Southern High School in his hometown of Durham, N.C., to the 2013 NCHSAA 3-AA state championship title.
In his seventh season as the head coach at Southern High School, Jones led the Spartans to the state title in the program’s seventh straight playoff appearance under his supervision. With a Big 8 Conference championship also part of the team’s historic run, Jones was selected as the 2013 Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year. He was also the PAC-6 Coach of the Year three times after charging the Spartans to three consecutive PAC-6 championships from 2007-09.
During his playing days, Jones was a four-sport letterwinner at Southern High School, competing in football, basketball, baseball and track. On the gridiron, he was a three-time team M.V.P. as a quarterback, defensive back and punt return specialist.
As a student-athlete at NCCU from 1994-97, Jones earned first team all-conference and second team all-region honors twice and remains among the school’s career leaders in passes defended (41) and interceptions (10).
Jones earned 1996 First-Team All-CIAA and Second Team All-South Region honors as a junior when he collected eight interceptions, placing him second on NCCU’s single-season records list. During that year, he was voted as the NCAA Division II Player of the Week after tying a school record with three interceptions in a game - versus Elizabeth City State on Sept. 28, 1996. That season, the Eagles boasted the No. 1 pass defense in the nation.
In 1997, Jones again was selected First-Team All-CIAA and Second Team All-South Region after leading the conference with an 11.0-yard punt return average and a 29.5-yard kickoff return average. Jones broke a 52-year-old school record on Oct. 4, 1997, when he returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown against Fayetteville State, the longest punt return in school history at the time.
After NCCU, Jones played Arena Football with the Carolina Cobras (2001, 2003), the Augusta Stallions (2002) and the Greensboro Prowlers (2000).
As an assistant coach at NCCU from 2003-06, he worked with defensive backs and outside linebackers, and was part of two CIAA championship teams (2005 and 2006), including the 2006 black college national championship squad.
During the summer of 2006, Jones served as defensive coordinator with the South Georgia Wildcats of the AFL2, leading his squad to the No. 1-ranked red-zone defense in the league.
Jones graduated from NCCU with a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy in 2001.
His father, Alexander Jones, played football with the Eagles from 1970-73 and is a member of NCCU’s Athletics Hall of Fame.
Jones is married to Dr. Kamala Uzzell Jones.
The Adrian Jones File
Born: Jan. 3, 1974, in Durham, N.C.
Education:
North Carolina Central University, 2001, bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy
Collegiate Playing Experience:
North Carolina Central University, defensive back (1994-97)
Professional Playing Experience:
Greensboro Prowlers (AFL2), defensive back (2000)
Carolina Cobras (AFL), defensive back (2001, 2003)
Augusta Stallions (AFL), defensive back (2002)
Coaching Experience:
North Carolina Central University
- assistant coach (outside linebackers), 2003
- assistant coach (defensive backs), 2004-06
South Georgia Wildcats (AFL2), assistant coach (defensive coordinator), 2006
Southern High School (Durham, N.C.), head coach, 2007-13
North Carolina Central University, assistant coach (running backs), 2014-
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