NDSU Football’s Dom Jones Becoming Staple in Defensive Secondary
Has 7 tackles, 2 interceptions in the last two games
FARGO, N.D. — Since losing their first game of the spring against Southern Illinois, North Dakota State football has rattled off three wins a row moving into a tie for first in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Much of the credit goes to the defense and safety Dom Jones.
The red-shirt freshman has balled out with interceptions in the last two games one sealing the victory over North Dakota. During that same stretch, the Duluth, Georgia native has recorded seven tackles giving him the sixth most on the team with 24.
Starting all five games this spring, Jones said the continued experience he keeps getting has put him in the right spots to be successful.
“Coach Braun is just putting me in position to make plays. Just given out comfort calls,” Jones said. “Having us play fast. I’d say the first half of the season, I was playing 60-70 snaps a game so just having those amount of reps is going to slow the game down for me. The older guys just coaching me and just making sure my head is in the right place. Just making sure I’m playing fast and not worrying about anything.”
“The young man is locked in. He’s coachable. He’s learning. He’s just consistently getting better,” head coach Matt Entz said. “Playing faster. He has all the tools. Now we just need the game to slow down for him. I made a comment on Saturday evening when I was at home to my wife that he reminds of and this is as good of a compliment I can give him, he reminds me a little bit of Tre Dempsey. Just slightly an inch or two taller but that type of range. That type of position flexibility.”
The NDSU defense is getting back to its code green form. The Bison have the third best total defense in the Missouri Valley giving up just over 282 yards per game. The second best rushing defense giving up just over 100 yards per game and the third best scoring defense setting up the offense for about 16 points per game.
