Puzzled by the Jones situation? Here’s what we learned
OXFORD, Miss. — When discussing the Jarrian Jones saga, it’s important to separate fact from speculation.
Here’s what we know to be fact: Jones finished his freshman season at Mississippi State in December after playing in 11 games. In mid-may, the defensive back entered the transfer portal. A few days later, Jones announced on Twitter his intention to transfer to Ole Miss. One week later, Jones flipped that commitment from Ole Miss to Florida State.
Jones’ transfer process has been peculiar for a number of reasons. For starters, players who contribute as freshmen at SEC schools don’t often try to transfer. Beyond that, transfer candidates rarely decommit from prospective destinations like high school recruits do.
And of course, there’s the most intriguing story line: Players virtually never try to transfer between Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The fact that Jones considered doing so before leaving for the ACC is perfect fodder for conspiracy theorists and armchair prognosticators on both sides of the Egg Bowl.
The Clarion Ledger tried to reach Jones to give him the opportunity to tell his side of the story, but Jones has not responded to interview requests. Short of Jones’ perspective, the Clarion Ledger contacted a couple of people who have known him since high school and were in communication with him during the transfer process.
Here are a few answers about what happened.
Why leave Mississippi State?
Shay Hodge, a former Ole Miss wide receiver and Jones’ cousin, has known Jones his whole life and helped hone Jones’ football skills since his days at Northwest Rankin High School.
Hodge told the Clarion Ledger that Jones called him via Facetime to discuss the situation before Jones announced his commitment to Ole Miss.
Hodge said Jones said Mississippi State’s new coaching staff asked him to move from cornerback to safety, which Jones didn’t want to do. Hodge said Jones said he was “just unhappy” playing for Mike Leach’s staff and needed a change.
Mike Espy, another former Ole Miss wide receiver, said he also believes Jones wanted to play for the Rebels. Espy, who runs the Route Precision Academy in Madison, has trained Jones since Jones was a high school sophomore.
“He made the decision to transfer from Mississippi State and then he thought he was going to be going to Ole Miss,” Espy said. “Things kind of derailed him from that. But at the end of the day he kept his head up high and he knew that he was going to land where he was supposed to land.”
What derailed Jones from transferring to Ole Miss? The answer to that question has been elusive.
Rumors have been swirling around Jones’ name from the second he decided to transfer.
Some fans have accused Ole Miss of tampering with Jones and recruiting
him before he was officially in the portal, and other fans have accused Mississippi State of secretly blocking Jones from transferring to an in-state rival.
Even Hodge got caught in the battle of words online. He said he saw rumors that said he was at a party in Oxford where Ole Miss players convinced Jones to transfer. Hodge would like the record to show that he has not been to any such party.
Connections to Ole Miss, Florida State
There are logical connections between Jones and Florida State.
Florida State linebackers coach Chris Marve coached at Mississippi State in 2019. Florida State defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson is a Mississippi native who coached at Auburn when Jones was being recruited.
Jones even had a scholarship offer out of high school from Memphis, the school where Florida State coach Mike Norvell used to be the head coach.
“I think they all wanted him from the jump when they were at their different prospective schools,” Espy said. “Now they got an opportunity to get him at Florida State. As we know, Florida State has been dubbed one of the DBUS. So I think he is in a great position over there with Coach Woodson as his coach.”
Of course, Jones had connections linking him to Ole Miss, too. Ole Miss cornerbacks coach Terrell Buckley was the cornerbacks coach at Mississippi State last season and helped recruit Jones to Starkville. Ole Miss defensive line coach Deke Adams also coached on Mississippi State’s staff last year.
It also isn’t without precedent for Jones to waffle on a school decision. As a four-star recruit, Jones committed to and decommitted from Mississippi State and Oklahoma before landing with
Mississippi State.
“I don’t think any (transfer) decision he could’ve made would’ve been wrong,” Espy said. “It’s just a decision you make. I think Jarrian has a bright future. In my eyes, he’s a No. 1, lock-down corner. He’s got to grow into that, but I think he has that potential and ability. I’m just excited for his future.”
Lessons learned?
Hodge took a deep breath before answering one last question.
Is it plausible that one day a player will be able to peacefully transfer from Oxford to Starkville or from Starkville to Oxford?
“Impossible,” Hodge said, holding the ‘M’ sound for three full seconds to make his point and describing Ole Miss and Mississippi State as a “spiteful rivalry.”
“It’s just crazy how much hatred goes between the fans. It’s crazy,” Hodge said. “I don’t know how to put it. It’s like if a team doesn’t get their way, (the fans) throw a tantrum. That’s what I feel like happened with Jarrian. They’re like ‘Oh, he wanted to transfer, we’ve got to find somebody to put it on.’ Can he not just be happy?”
Espy is a little more optimistic. “I personally think it was kind of an isolated situation,” he said. “I don’t think Mississippi State did anything wrong. I don’t think Ole Miss did anything wrong. I just think it’s one of those situations that a kid signed onto a school and he thought something was going to be one way but then a new coaching staff came in and it wasn’t fully that way to what the previous coaching staff told him.”
For nine days, it looked like Jones would make the jump from Mississippi State to Ole Miss.
That didn’t happen.
Now he’s landed at Florida State. So Mississippi State fans and Ole Miss fans alike will have to wait a little longer for the day when they can label defectors as traitors or welcome cross-state transfers as refugees seeking asylum.
If, of course, that day ever comes.