Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Jones becoming a Husker cornerstone
BY DIRK CHATELAIN
LINCOLN - Andre Jones watched film last week of Louisiana Tech's 1998 visit to Memorial Stadium. Specifically, he watched Troy Edwards embarrass the Blackshirts for an NCAA-record 405 receiving yards on 21 catches.
Not exactly the positive image a junior-college cornerback needs before his first Division I start. But Jones didn't fret.
"When I saw that film, I said there's no way I'm going to let that happen," said the 6-foot, 195-pound Floridian. "I said, 'I will not be that corner.' No disrespect to him, but I'm not going to let this team down like that. That's ridiculous."
Jones didn't disappoint, allowing just three short receptions. Louisiana Tech rarely tested Jones, perhaps a signal that the new guy is already earning respect.
Jones' emergence as a reliable corner has, at least for now, bailed Nebraska out of a dicey situation. The Huskers were so desperate for cornerbacks during fall camp that two receivers switched sides of the ball. Without Jones alongside veteran Cortney Grixby, NU might have been checking Arizona State's roster for disgruntled DBs.
"Just think, that's his first time out there in front of a big crowd," said defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove. "We put him on an island a lot, and he did a very good job. He's ahead of the game right now."
Jones, who starred in 2005 at Fresno City (Calif.) Community College, said preventing the deep ball was his greatest focus Saturday - another lesson from 1998. Edwards scored three times that August day, from 52, 94 and 80 yards. The Bulldogs' 2006 version of Edwards, Johnathan Holland, demonstrated a similar flair.
He snagged seven balls for 139 yards, including a one-handed 39-yard touchdown against reserve Titus Brothers. Jones allowed no such highlight.
"I saw how he was running his routes," Jones said. "He's a fast dude, but he's not really that quick. So when he comes out of his break, you know when he's going to run something deep because he's moving from the start. That let me know right there: OK, he's coming fast, so it's got to be a post or a post fade.
"It's either one or the other: They're either really quick or really fast," Jones said. "Normally they don't have both."
Jones said he was shocked Louisiana Tech didn't attack him more often down the field. He disrupted a post pattern intended for Holland in the third quarter, and Zac Champion didn't give him many more chances, opting to test Grixby.
"When you're part of something this great, like the Nebraska Cornhuskers, you've been blessed to get a Blackshirt," Jones said. "That's not something that's just handed to you."
BY DIRK CHATELAIN
LINCOLN - Andre Jones watched film last week of Louisiana Tech's 1998 visit to Memorial Stadium. Specifically, he watched Troy Edwards embarrass the Blackshirts for an NCAA-record 405 receiving yards on 21 catches.
Not exactly the positive image a junior-college cornerback needs before his first Division I start. But Jones didn't fret.
"When I saw that film, I said there's no way I'm going to let that happen," said the 6-foot, 195-pound Floridian. "I said, 'I will not be that corner.' No disrespect to him, but I'm not going to let this team down like that. That's ridiculous."
Jones didn't disappoint, allowing just three short receptions. Louisiana Tech rarely tested Jones, perhaps a signal that the new guy is already earning respect.
Jones' emergence as a reliable corner has, at least for now, bailed Nebraska out of a dicey situation. The Huskers were so desperate for cornerbacks during fall camp that two receivers switched sides of the ball. Without Jones alongside veteran Cortney Grixby, NU might have been checking Arizona State's roster for disgruntled DBs.
"Just think, that's his first time out there in front of a big crowd," said defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove. "We put him on an island a lot, and he did a very good job. He's ahead of the game right now."
Jones, who starred in 2005 at Fresno City (Calif.) Community College, said preventing the deep ball was his greatest focus Saturday - another lesson from 1998. Edwards scored three times that August day, from 52, 94 and 80 yards. The Bulldogs' 2006 version of Edwards, Johnathan Holland, demonstrated a similar flair.
He snagged seven balls for 139 yards, including a one-handed 39-yard touchdown against reserve Titus Brothers. Jones allowed no such highlight.
"I saw how he was running his routes," Jones said. "He's a fast dude, but he's not really that quick. So when he comes out of his break, you know when he's going to run something deep because he's moving from the start. That let me know right there: OK, he's coming fast, so it's got to be a post or a post fade.
"It's either one or the other: They're either really quick or really fast," Jones said. "Normally they don't have both."
Jones said he was shocked Louisiana Tech didn't attack him more often down the field. He disrupted a post pattern intended for Holland in the third quarter, and Zac Champion didn't give him many more chances, opting to test Grixby.
"When you're part of something this great, like the Nebraska Cornhuskers, you've been blessed to get a Blackshirt," Jones said. "That's not something that's just handed to you."
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