Inside the Jones Family: Coaching, Culture, and a Fight for Life

The loudest moments in college football usually happen on Saturdays, but the story that lasts is the one that follows you home. We sit down with Coach Jones, tight ends coach Alex Jones, wide receiver Andrew Jones, and the Voice of the Red Wolves, Matt Stolz, for a candid look at what it means when a family builds a life around Arkansas State football and finally gets to live in the same place again. After years of being spread across Knoxville, Tuscaloosa, and multiple programs, Jonesboro becomes more than a job site. It becomes home, dinner-table territory, and a shared community investment. 

We talk about what fans don’t see: how Barb Jones holds the whole operation together, how the “strict coach at home” stereotype misses the mark, and how the family keeps laughter in the mix with group texts, stories, and constant ribbing. Coach Jones also breaks down the now-famous practice microphone, why it started as a simple solution, and how it turned into a real-time teaching tool that keeps energy high while still demanding accountability. If you’re curious about coaching culture, player development, and what leadership sounds like day to day, you’ll get a front-row seat. 

Then the conversation turns serious as Alex shares his health battle with a congenital bicuspid aortic valve, a marathon surgery, the shock of learning his heart was working at 50% capacity, and the path to a mechanical valve and recovery. We reflect on how that season reframed everything, deepened the family bond, and made moments like bowl wins and rings feel even more meaningful. Subscribe, share this with a Red Wolves fan, and leave a review, then tell us: what part of the behind-the-scenes life surprised you most?

@arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 - When Football Finally Brings a Family Home

1:20 - From Knoxville to Jonesboro: Making A-State Home

3:15 - Barb Jones: The MVP Holding the Operation Together

5:10 - Group Texts & Ribbing: The Coach at the Dinner Table

7:30 - The Story Behind Coach Jones’ Famous Practice Mic

9:45 - Alex Jones: Diagnosing a Congenital Heart Condition

12:00 - 50% Capacity: The Shock, Surgery, and Mechanical Valve

14:15 - How a Health Battle Reframed Bowl Wins and Football Rings

16:30 - Community Investment: A Message to Red Wolves Fans

Transcript

Welcome And Meet The Joneses

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Thank you for joining us for another edition of Red Wolf Saturdays. Also brought to you by the Arkansas State Media Network. Today we're joined by our tight ends coach here at Arkansas State, Alex Jones, receiver, Valley View graduate, just finished his first year as a wide receiver in our program, Andrew Jones. And then probably an individual who needs absolutely no introduction. He's the voice of the Red Wolves, truly the best at what he does. Matt Stoltz, you and I would co-host it and really kind of let you take the lead and go with it.

SPEAKER_03 0:47

I was excited when I got word that you guys wanted to do this because what a great platform for us to sit down. Me, you, Alex, and Andrew, and kind of talk about why you came to Arkansas State to begin with.

Why Jonesboro Became Home

SPEAKER_03 1:05

And what I love is just the family dynamic. And I've got to know your family really well over the last five years. And you have a fantastic family. And I just love how close you guys are. And this is really cool to be able to sit down and kind of chat about this because it was a big reason, coach, why you took this job to begin with. This was a chance for the entire family to be together. And you had gone a few years without that being the case.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

It's been a long journey. And uh actually, our middle son, Adam, who's a proud Arkansas State alum now, alum here, uh played football for us, was a wide receiver, had a great senior year, and uh he's moved on with his career. He's actually back now living in Knoxville. And he was here last week, and we tried to make it happen, but with the schedules, as you know, we never quite uh were able to do that. But it has been quite a journey. And I think when you talk about a family investing in a community in Jonesboro, Arkansas, investing uh in the mission of a university with Arkansas State, investing in our football program, it's been a family investment. And like you said, it's been a it's been a dynamic. You know, when you look at it, our family spent over three and a half years of being displaced. And when uh we left Tennessee and went to the University of Alabama, um, there was a huge dynamic there from a family standpoint. When I say displaced, because when I went to Tuscaloosa, Alex actually came with me and uh went to the football program as well and was an analyst, was a quality control coach there. And Adam at the time was playing receiver at Central Michigan University, and Andrew was still in high school. And so Barb, their mother, my wife, as probably everyone does know, but um, they stayed in Knoxville, and Barb is still very well connected in that community with a lot of great friends, and so they stayed there. Alex and I moved to Tuscaloosa, and Adam was in Mount Pleasant. So we were all displaced for over three years. And so when we had an opportunity to come to Jonesboro, we wanted to make this a family event, uh, get everyone together. And I tell you, it's been a great experience so far, a very unique experience, and uh we consider this home now.

SPEAKER_03 3:36

Alex, I want to hear from your perspective because it's such a unique view. And, you know, you've played for your dad, you've coached with your dad and for your dad. So, what's it been like to have the entire Jones family together here in Jonesboro? How's that family dynamic been?

SPEAKER_00 3:58

It it's been great. Um, you know, to be able to come home or come back to my parents' house now, um, you know, for the last four and a half, five years, and being able to, you know, have family dinners and and sit around and talk about things um and stuff like that. It's been really, really great to see. And just like being able to be in Andrew and Adam's life again and be able to hang out with them and you know, sit that dinner and hey, let's go, let's just go play three to four holes of golf. Hey, let's go do this, or hey, let's go shoot hoops. Um, has been, I guess, great for our relationships as a you know, brothers, but um, it's been good to kind of get everyone back just because you feel like you've missed so much time, you know, with everyone being away.

SPEAKER_03 4:42

Andrew, I know how much you love your dad. I know how much you love your family. So when you were able to come here, and at that point, I guess you're still in junior high when you come to Jonesboro. You're in ninth grade. So you come here to Jonesboro and you're able to be around the Arkansas State program for several years before you actually became a part of it. But to be planted here as early as you were, I mean, how great was that for you to uh to now be in the position that you're in now? I'm sure that helped out a lot.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

Oh, absolutely. And even seeing Adam, my middle brother's success that he had here and him kind of just guiding me through, you know, and going to high school at Valley View, I had a great experience at Valley View, nothing but good things to say. And just like even with the community that we were talking about, like we go out to family dinner a week ago and see one of the vice principals from Valley View and sit and talk for 10 minutes. So just the whole community and everything leading up to now being part of Arkansas State University

Life At Home Beyond Football

SPEAKER_01 5:47

has been great.

SPEAKER_03 5:47

So I'm sure a lot of people are curious what it's like away from football at the Jones House. Are you guys able to separate it?

SPEAKER_02 5:56

You know what? That's a great question. And I would say yes and no. Um, football is our lives. Um, you know, football is not just a hobby. We live it, and we live this football program each and every day. So it's embedded in the fabric of who we are. Um, but yeah, I think there is separation. And I think that's been the challenge as a dad now of having all three of my sons play for me. And I've really tried to keep a distance from that and kind of give them their space and kind of let their coaches coach them and be there for a resource. Um, but I try to that to have the on-the-field talk. Uh, there's a time and a place for that. So, really, when we're at home, not really, but we may talk about more about shared experiences and kind of where we're going and all those things. But there are some unique conversations. You know, you look at our lives, they're a byproduct of our past experiences. And, you know, we've been so many places and been through so many things. And I think that was the thing when, you know, we went to to Tuscaloosa, our family, as Barb would say, we were without a team to cheer for. They were for, you know, a couple months. And then Coach Saban calls in the University of Alabama kind of comes in the picture and kind of restarts everything. Uh, so as it has been a unique journey. And I think for me as well, you know, uh, I just returned last week from Boca Ratone. Uh, Josh Dobbs, uh, our quarterback at the University of Tennessee, got married. And so we went to the wedding and we had about 30 former players. And just what a great experience. And that's what it's about in coaching. But the first thing everyone asked me was, you know, how's Alex? How's Adam? How's Andrew? Gosh, how old is Andrew? Tell me how they're doing at Arkansas State. So I think, you know, that the family aspect of it, not just internally, but externally as well, never leaves you.

SPEAKER_03 7:58

Alex, Andrew, I'm anxious to hear your perspective of of how it is inside the home, away from football, too.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

Uh, a lot of jokes and laughter. Um, I do. I think I think we can be able to separate it. Um, like this just this past weekend, we had burgers, and the boys are all around giving my dad a little bit of crap, and then they ended up being really they they they challenged and they didn't believe in my grilling skills.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

And so you were put to the test. They forgot at age 16 I was a short-order cook at a breakfast place, and I know how to do hamburgers and hot dogs, and we had steak, and they were betting that the steak wasn't cooked fully. And so I just kind of sat there and kind of let them take their jokes, but they doubted my skill set. And you proved yourself. Proved herself. All right, and the whole key to being a great griller is how you toast the bone the buns on the grill as well. So they had the full, the full barbecue experience. I shouldn't say this, but it that it was pretty good. It was pretty good. You don't get an opportunity to grill out that often. So when you do, you have to take advantage of that.

SPEAKER_03 9:09

You guys are able to have fun. Alex, I know you've told me before. I mean, when you guys take family trips, it's just even with your dad and your brothers. I mean, you guys are cracking each other up all the time.

SPEAKER_00 9:21

Yeah. Yeah, it's it's fun. We we have a lot of good laughs, and and I guess now just getting older and stuff, it it kind of changes. But there used to be a lot of rough housing and and sports play and stuff like that. And Andrew was the youngest, so we got beat up on the most. But now I guess that both my little brothers are way bigger than I am now, so I gotta kind of know when to pick my spots with them.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

We have a family group text, and so every day there's something put on from the past. It may be a picture, it may be a video in the past, just to kind of get everyone chuckling. So there's a lot of humor each and every day.

Barb Jones And The Hidden Work

SPEAKER_03 10:03

All right, we've got to talk about your mom, your wife, Barb. She's amazing, and I know she does so much behind the scenes, but I'm guessing she's really the glue that kind of holds this thing together.

SPEAKER_02 10:17

I always say, you know, you're she's the been the caretaker of the family, and I'm gone so much. So there's so many things that go into it, you know, a balancing, you know, the three boys, the three sons, um, with all the different things that are going on in their lives. And now with Alex being married, you know, so there's a lot that goes into that, plus being a coach's wife, plus taking care of 105 players on our program. And then she's the head coach of the coaches' wives. So really her job description is very diverse, to say the least, and all the different people, and then the community aspect and different things there. So there's a lot coming at her all at once, all the time.

SPEAKER_01 11:00

Yes. I mean, she absolutely is the glue that holds us all together. I mean, always making sure we're all good to go. Whether it's she's got to ask us four, four times like, Do you need this? Do you need this? Are you okay? She absolutely everything, just how she cares for all of us boys. And I feel bad for her because she's the only female. We don't have any, I don't have a sister or anything like that. So the things that she's got to put up with with us boys.

SPEAKER_00 11:25

Yeah, I'll say for sure, uh reiterate that. Um, I think having my wife move into the family has helped her um kind of give her someone kind of like a like a daughter, or really now is a daughter. And then it's also softened my dad up a little bit too. So just questions that I would never think to ask. She just goes up and asks. So, but you know, it is, it's been a true family experience. And I think, you know, part of that is is my wife, you know, being a a professor for the nursing school here, um, and certain stuff like that. But no, my mom has has done a lot for us um in moving around and and making sure that we're acclimated at each place and and all the stuff that's come along with it. But um, I would say Andrew's probably the hardest on her. So that's uh you can ask him about that. But Andrew probably um is probably the most needy out of the three boys, if if that and I think sometimes when you look back, you look at our journey of them growing up.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Right. And although, you know, we've all had different places where they grew up in different areas maybe around the country that they consider home, when he was at his years of truly maturing, I was gone. You know, I was in Tuscaloosa, and those are three years where, you know, like he said, he was entering ninth grade. So if you do the math and you look at it, um, and that's why, you know, even the journeys that they would make, you know, and you talk about sacrifice is balancing Adam's games at Central Michigan, then balancing his football games as well, or Adam's games when he was a senior at Knoxville Catholic, and then then them getting in the car and driving to Tuscaloosa for me and Alex in our games, and so many things that go into it is always kind of uh a juggling act to say the least.

The Biggest Misconception About Dad

SPEAKER_03 13:23

Question for Alex and Andrew here What's obviously you get to see a completely different side of your dad. So what's the biggest misconception about your dad?

SPEAKER_00 13:38

Um, you know, I've gotten this shoot ever since I was probably seventh grade, um, all the way up still to now, I've gotten the same question. I would say not nearly as intense as you would think, especially at home. Um, I think he does like to be a good father, I do feel like you have to compartmentalize stuff, um, especially, you know, in the day and age of football and then being able to truly put it away. Um, but now seeing, I guess, my side of things of being involved in coaching and going through, you know, the recruiting and the demands of everything that it takes. Um, you kind of look back on those young years and go, man, I'm exhausted now when I get home. But if you think about it, he was the one that was always saying, Hey, do you want to go out and play catch? Do you want to go out and do this? Do you want to go shoot hoops? I'll rebot for you, and certain stuff like that that makes you think, shoot, he he sacrificed a lot, just sleep or anything to be able to help us kids and and be able to give the quality time needed. Um, because there were times that he wasn't always there, you know, um, just with the job demands and stuff. And it's kind of showed me throughout that time of truly having a respect factor for him in terms of that, just because, you know, there were times where could have, hey, let's just sit on the couch. It was no, hey, let's go do something. Hey, let's let I'll be the all-time pitcher, let's go play baseball, or I'll do something like this, or I'll yeah, I'll get on the trampoline with you, or I'll let's hang out. So from that standpoint of things, it's been that's kind of the being able to compartmentalize, but also truly be a dad and and have fun with each other and laugh and joke and and stuff like that, I think would be the common common thing.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

Just kind of to reiterate what Alex said. I mean, everybody always thinks, oh, is he so strict at home? Is he always they see the pictures of him really yelling in the house?

SPEAKER_00 15:36

Exactly. And that's that is that is true. My mom is the disciplinary, yeah, it's not my dad. So that's kind of like, oh, really? I'm like, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:45

Yes. So absolutely. You know, you look at like there's been so many positives of being involved in a football life, you know, and you go back, and as you're talking, I'm reminiscing and like little things like Alex say playing catch. Well, you know, no secret, you know, where we grew up, I grew up in Sagatuck, Michigan. It's a resort town right on Lake Michigan. Well, an individual who's built a house there right on Lake Michigan is Kirk Cousins. And so every time we go back in the summer, he will call me or I will call him when we get together. Well, um, we have tried to every summer, he needs somebody to play catch with. So we would take the three sons, three boys, and we would go to Kirk's house, and they would all play catch. And you know, he's there and he's got his trainer, and you got Alex set up here where maybe the quarterback would be throwing a swing route. You got Adam on the curl route, and then you got Andrew on the backside dig, and he's just he's whizzing it. And gosh, this is when Andrew was really young. And these kids are competing of who can get the most catches in. And so there's little things like that that when you look at it, you know, I think the experiences that they've been able to garner along the way of every journey we've had, the people that they've interacted with, the relationships that they've built. You know, as a dad, you kind of sit back and say, Wow, you know, that's pretty neat. Like, you know, I remember taking um Alex to, you know, Eric Sposa's a great friend of mine, and taking them to the NBA finals with the Miami Heat, being part, they were, he was there when they won their second consecutive world championship and going up to, you know, the celebrations, you know, the different things, but also the things that they take for granted that they've always, you know, they've always grown up in a locker room. Like I still have a picture after that game. Adam was was with us as well, and he's sitting in LeBron James's locker. You know, little things like that that I think initially maybe they took for granted. But like Alex said, when you get older, you start to appreciate the journey much more.

SPEAKER_03 17:55

This is all great stuff.

The Practice Microphone And Team Energy

SPEAKER_03 17:57

I am curious, and I want to hear your perspective on this, Alex and Andrew, especially, because a couple of years ago it became commonplace for a coach to have a microphone in practice every day. And it it's great for you as far as being able to teach and communicate during practice, but a lot of it for anybody who's been out there on multiple occasions is kind of lighthearted. And it it's nonstop. And I think you're having a lot of fun with it. Many of those days out there. You're you're just giving the guys a hard time. But some of the stuff that is said out there, I know if I'm sitting up there in the stands and I've got Grizz and JC and Caro Ritchie and whoever else sitting up there with me, we're laughing. I mean, we're cracking up at some of the stuff that he's saying, but you guys are down there working. So do you catch a lot of that that's going on on the field?

SPEAKER_00 19:02

Uh, not necessarily. No, that I guess I've been a part of it since we were at Tennessee. So, like, I kind of I like I guess the funny story for me is we run NASCAR field goal, and I'm off um back when I played, and he's yelling, where's the holder? Where's the holder? And it and I was like, Oh crap, that's me. I gotta get out there. And um, but besides that, it it's been it's more fun than anything. I guess the good thing is is from a standpoint of you, you it always keeps you on your toes. So he could be down with the defense and you know, look back and instead of yelling or instead of waiting to tell you after practice, he can correct it right then and there. So I guess that's kind of the the reason why the microphone, I guess it creates eyes everywhere.

SPEAKER_02 19:51

And uh is lighthearted, um, love to have fun with it, but also you're able to get things fixed right away. And I think it lets everyone know that, oh, he's watching everything. So I think there's a appreciation that comes along with that. But also it's amazing is sometimes I'm not on the mic and the players are asking me, where's the microphone today? Coach, come on, it ain't practice without the microphone. So I think they almost at times kind of look forward to it as well. And it's almost like if you get called on the mic, it's kind of a compliment. Are you kind of waiting for it, Andrew?

SPEAKER_01 20:30

I've had it a few times. I have, but I've had some experiences, like even uh my senior year actually for prom, we were taking pictures over across by the pond outside the stadium, and that just so happened to be the same day as on a Saturday as a scrimmage and spring ball. So we're out there taking pictures, and you can still hear everything from the mic. And I'm like, yeah, that's that's my dad on the mic coming from the stadium. You can still hear him. But kind of like what Alex said, I've kind of been used to it since Tennessee, but uh just growing up with it and hearing it, you know, like there's practice going on, you're gonna hear the mic, you're gonna hear stuff on the mic.

SPEAKER_00 21:12

So that was like, so my wife, when we lived at the landing, it was you can hear it from there. So you can hear the music and you can hear the microphone from there. So it was always right when the microphone, she would cue up how to practice go today, because she knew when practice was over with, because this the music and the and the microphone was no longer gone.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

So Pete Carroll said something that hit me one day, and he said, practice has to be like recess. Oh, be work. And you got to have some levity to it, you gotta be able to have some fun. You don't want to dread going to pick your spot. So I think sometimes between the music and the microphone, plus when you think about when you go on game day, especially on the road, there's a lot of clutter and distraction that's associated. Playing on the road. So there's a lot of thought process. Um, the other thing, too, is people ask me, where did you get the idea? Well, there was a legendary special teams coach by the name of Frank Gann Sr., who was with the Kansas City Chiefs. And back in the day, he used the microphone in practice for special teams so he could communicate with everybody. And I remember watching a video. So if you fast forward, we're at the University of Cincinnati and I had lost my voice, and we're in the middle of training camp. So I'm like, I remember the video, and I'm like, a lot of it was kind of the self-preservation mode of saving my voice. And that's really kind of where the microphone was kind of born. And now you look at it, you know, you look at Kirby Smart from Georgia. He don't run a practice. Funny story is uh Larry Knight, who played for me, right? Uh coach for me everywhere we've been. He was our defensive ends coach, edges coach this past year. He's now the edges coach and defensive ends coach at Georgia. And Larry says to me, he's in his interview, and a couple of the coaches come in and they're like, now you got to understand Coach Smart's gonna have a microphone at practice, and you got to be ready for it. And Larry said, Coach, I didn't have him, I didn't have the heart to tell him, and I wanted the job to say, hey, I've been used to that ever since I was a player. And so it's kind of an internal joke that we had, but you look at college football now and even professional football. Yeah, I bet you half of the the coaches around the country now use a microphone.

SPEAKER_03 23:31

This has been fun. I think people see the connection with you guys, but there is something that kind of shows your bond.

Alex’s Heart Battle And Recovery

SPEAKER_03 23:40

And I know it has probably united you as strong as ever. And that's Alex, you've gone through some pretty serious health battles over the over the last several years. So if you don't mind kind of telling everybody what you've been dealing with as far as your personal health battle and how your family has been there to support you through all this.

SPEAKER_00 24:07

So I had a uh a bicuspid aortic valve um from birth um and always knew that I would have to get surgery at some point, um, and would go for these routine checkups every year and um no, you're good, no, you're good. It hasn't grown, it hasn't gotten to the size. Well, I think it was yeah, it was two years ago. Um it was, hey, the size hasn't changed, but the guidelines have changed. So now you're eligible to get the surgery. Um, and so fast forward, you know, it it's funny, is I get announced as the tight end coach, uh, tight ends coach on I think it was March the second or third, and then go into surgery on the fourth. So um, and surgery was 12 to 14 hours, and they tried to um rework the valve and and kept it intact and put a sleeve over top of it. Um, and so spent in the ICU for six days and and um came back out fine. And then all of a sudden it was hey, I don't like I'm why am I always tired? And this started kind of around the season. Um, and I know we had fall camps, so I you're usually a little bit more worn down, but um, it was like more than normal. Like could basically sleep on command, um, had no energy. Um, and so it was after the the fourth game, um, went up to Cincinnati on a Monday, flew up there, and they were like, um, they told me, you know, do you feel tired at all? Do you feel like, you know, I had these bounding pulses and I could always hear my heartbeat and feel it. Um, they're like, you know, you're actually um your heart's working at 50% capacity right now. You're it hasn't um the surgery did not work. Um, and so if we don't get the surgery done within the next, you know, couple months or so, you're you're gonna start to go into heart failure. So um that was what I guess it was my first year as a full-time coach, and it was probably the most rewarding year that I've had um from a standpoint of just being able to see my hard work kind of pay off in terms of doing things that, you know, and and not complaining and and not trying to to make excuses for myself in terms of me not being in the best health um realm, but still being able to do my job to the fullest of my abilities. And then so then after the season, um had the same procedure, they actually put in a mechanical valve. Um, so now um on blood thinners and all the stuff like that. But um, I think the biggest thing is the the support that I've had from family, um brothers, mom, dad, and and I gotta give it like my wife has been anything and everything that I've needed. But um, my wife and and mom stayed with me the entire time. Um, and my my wife's a uh nurse practitioner, so uh it kind of worked everything. It worked out in terms of she's it's she's the watchdog.

SPEAKER_02 27:22

Yeah, she watches everything, and you know, as he's talking, you're going through these journeys, and you know, you talk about a dad and being away and you know how you can influence your child's lives. Uh tell you two quick stories, and it's probably one of my greatest stories as a dad. Okay, so Alex knew he had the heart complications. So when he was in high school, he was not able to play any sports. So going into the summer of his senior year, he's at Knoxville Catholic. And I used to say to him, You need to be a kicker. Because he's he, out of all the kids, he was probably the most talented with IN coordination. And he was too cool to be the kicker. And, you know, all his buddies uh and a lot of our coach's sons, he's very close with, and that's been a great journey for him. But they were on the football team and he'd be in the stands, and then one day, going into a senior year, he comes in and he goes, Dad, I think I want to be a kicker. And I'm like, What? He goes, I want to try kicking. And I said, Okay, if you're gonna commit to this, you're gonna commit to this. There's no backing out. And so, to his credit, um, we hired a former Tennessee kicker, um, Scott Wilhoy, to help him. Um, and he started training with him. And I knew he had a chance because we went on vacation. He took a bag of footballs and he went up to the local high school and he started kicking. And so he invested in it. So, gosh, we're getting ready to open up against Utah State. We're playing on a Thursday night, and it's the week prior to the game. And I don't know if he even remembers this. So I come home from work, and gosh, it's midnight, and Barbara's sitting up waiting for me, and she says, We need to talk. And I'm like, Okay, this I could. She sits down, she goes, you know, it's Alex's mother hen, it's Alex's senior year, he's third on the depth, he's not gonna play. You know, he's thinking about just giving it up and you know, go back to what he was doing. And I looked at her and I said, He made a deal with me, he's not quitting. So I walked upstairs, I tapped him on his shoulder, I woke him up and I said, You're not quitting. You hear me? You made a decision and you made a commitment, you're gonna stick this out. So he don't say nothing, he's half asleep. So all of a sudden, um fast forward to two days prior to their game, and again, we're in game week mode, and Barb calls me and she says, Have you talked to Alex? And I'm like, No. She goes, Well, you need to call him. He needs to tell you something. And so I call him and we're just talking. I said, Well, mom told me to to call you. Is there anything you need to tell me? He goes, Oh, yeah, I'm the starting kicker. And he wants to kick off. And I I go back and I say to Barb all the time, there's two types of parents. The parent who tries to prepare the kid for the path, or the parent who prepares the path for the kid. And we could have very easily been those parents that said, quit, move on, all that. And he would have never experienced Friday night lights. And so if you fast forward, we go to the University of Tennessee, and he's one of our kickers, but he's really our best holder. So his second year in the program, he wins the starting job as our starting holder. And we're getting ready two weeks prior to the first game, and the team doctors come up see me. They say, you know, coach, is this really worth it? One, you know, miss snap over the head, one violent tackle could end his life. And I'm like, I'm done. He doesn't need to it. And I think Barb had a harder time knowing that that was over with his career than I did, but then it was a great segue because then he went into coaching. So prior to Alabama, he coached for two years at the University of Tennessee. So I think that now, those experiences lends him to being a really good football coach because of those experiences.

SPEAKER_03 31:35

Watching you though, and Alex talked about getting the news in week four, and he wasn't feeling like himself.

SPEAKER_02 31:44

It was after the Kennesaw game. I want you to think about this. You talk about a family having to be strong. We had just lost to Kennesaw. We're at one and four, you're hearing all these people with the clutter and distractions, and they don't have no idea what's going on in the John Jones household, nor do they care. And it was a balancing act for me as a dad. No, you're going through hell as a dad. You're going through hell. You got Texas State, who's supposed to win the Sunbelt here, and some people in our community were unbelievably gracious. They gave us their plane. So Alex was able to fly to Cincinnati at the children's hospital, have his checkup, set the surgery date, fly back, and then still continue to coach. And our players had no idea what was going on. And as a dad, you know, every day you're seeing him out there coaching, you're worried about his health. And then you got the clutter and distraction going on, and then you have your team ready to go. And that's why you don't pay attention to anybody with their opinions, and nobody knew what was going on in our lives. And I think it it galvanized our family even more. And I think with that one and four start football-wise, it kind of put things in perspective. And then we go on a six-game winning streak. And uh, so that moment in time, too, I call it the Kennesaw week, the Kennesaw experience. Back, I think, as a as a family, one of those experiences that kind of galvanized us.

SPEAKER_03 33:19

Yeah, it just seems like you guys are more united than ever through this. And I'm sure it was tough for you watching all this happen, Andrew. And and you're in your first season as a player at Arkansas State, you're going through practice every day. And the meantime, your brother's going through all this.

SPEAKER_01 33:36

Yes. And just like what my dad was just saying, I mean, I'm out on the field with him as he's coaching as well. So I'll be in a drill looking over at him, like just because you don't want him getting up yelling and all that with when you know his heart's going is not in the greatest shape. So it definitely was difficult.

SPEAKER_02 33:55

We're doing a blocking drill and his tight end wins, and he's sprinting up, chest bumping them, and I'm like, slow down, slow down. Um, you know, and it's that passion that you have uh for coaching. But, you know, I think it's one of those moments in time that um you'll never forget as we continue to progress

Gratitude, Bowl Rings, And Family Pride

SPEAKER_02 34:16

on.

SPEAKER_03 34:16

As we kind of wrap up here, I mean, it's got to be so fun just being on this journey right now. And to now see this program having success, three straight bowl games, two consecutive bowl victories. There's a lot of good things going on. And it'd be great in any circumstance to experience success. But to do it all together as a family, and for everybody to be so invested, and this includes Adam, he was a big part of helping grow this into what it is now. But um to be all together and experience the success together, I'm sure it makes it sweeter for all of you, right?

SPEAKER_02 35:01

It does. And I think you use that term investment. The Jones family has invested in Arkansas State and Jonesboro. And, you know, to have our three sons invested in this program, this community, two out of three have degrees from Arkansas State. And I think it's helped me become a better coach because like I tell our recruits, I'm a parent first, a coach second. And so I'm not gonna ask my son to do anything that I wouldn't ask your sons to do. So I think it also um I'm able to maybe relate a little bit more to our to our players and even to our parents because my sons have been or are on the team. So I think that's really helped that journey. But we talk about it as a family, you know, when we do so we try to do Sunday dinners every week that we can. Um, and you never take this time for for granted because you can never get it back.

SPEAKER_01 35:55

One of my greatest experiences was just even winning the Xbox Bowl last year. Like that was after seeing the 60A Ventures Bowl the year prior and seeing Adam got a ring, and obviously Alex and my dad, and I was left out because I wasn't on the team. So just have being able to win my first, that was my first ever ring in my life. So winning that and obviously doing it with my brother and my dad and kind of getting back at Adam because he already already had a bull ring was that was a great moment for me too, as well.

SPEAKER_00 36:25

I think the biggest thing is just honestly being grateful for everything um and not taking the time for granted. Um, but you know, being able to to truly hang out and and enjoy each other's company at any really any time, um, whether it's Andrew stopping in my office and eating half my candy or you know, and us having a talk or going down there and and talking in the staff room. A lot of first.

SPEAKER_02 36:55

Like he didn't even mention he's now a homeowner.

SPEAKER_00 36:58

Yeah. Yeah. Congratulations. Moved in the week of the first game last year.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

So that was that was an I think that's the thing that people don't see is, you know, they see game day, you know, like you asked the question, they see my intensity, but they don't see my love and passion for every player in our program. They don't understand and see what happens behind the scenes, they don't see the coaches' families, they don't see the moving in, you know, they don't see the behind the scenes things. And, you know, Barb used to say it all the time, you know, and where we're at with football, my car knows one way, really two ways during football season to the office and back. It's the families and the wives that hear everything. So really, if you think about it, that the coaches' families are the ones that have to uh endure everything. Where us as coaches, we're so, you know, we're so uh, what do I want to say, uh computerized and we're so like rigid in terms of our time frames that we don't know anything. I don't know what's going on out there. But as kids growing up and your wife and the community, they hear anything and everything. And so I think those are all things that maybe the fans and everyone don't realize that we are still people. We're not just a face, we're we're not a name, and we're going through the same struggles, the same trials and tribulations that every family goes through.

A Ring Surprise And Closing Message

SPEAKER_02 38:34

Guys, this has been fun. I do want to end on one thing though.

SPEAKER_03 38:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 38:38

Um, and I thought this is the right moment and a special moment. And you're the best in the Jones family. Appreciate you. And we talked about the Xbox Bowl, and we talked about winning championships, sustained success. So I have a gift for you. So I would like for you to open it up on the podcast, and this is a thank you that you do. Man, this is awesome. It's kind of big.

SPEAKER_03 39:10

An Xbox Bowl ring. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 39:13

Try it on. Let's see. That's a good one. This may be the biggest one we've had. Pretty special. Robert Spear texts me his picture, and he had it next to his, and he was really proud of it.

SPEAKER_03 39:25

Yeah, that's fantastic. Thank you so much. Wear it with pride. It's more like a paperweight than it is a ring. It really is. Yeah. This this is huge, but but very well deserved. Thank you very much. Hey, this has uh been a lot of fun. We certainly encourage you to check out all of our podcasts across the Arkansas State Media Network. Make sure you subscribe to this podcast as well, wherever you get your podcast. And join Coach Jones next time on Red Wolf Saturdays. Wolves up.