Meeting Mr. Jones

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As Butch Jones sat in his office Thursday morning in the Indoor Athletic Complex, he couldn’t help but smile.

Never mind that his wife is back in Morgantown, W.Va., caring for their newborn son Andrew. Never mind he has to worry about selling his house in Morgantown, while at the same time trying to find one in Mount Pleasant. Never mind his work day consists of being in the office from 7 a.m. to midnight every day.

Sure, those things bother him, especially the time he’s missing out on with his family.

But it’s hard for him to frown when he already has a family in place in Mount Pleasant.

“It’s an exciting time right now,” Jones, who was hired last week as CMU’s 25th head football coach, said. “No one has their families up here, so it’s given me and the staff the opportunity to spend a lot of time together. Everyone knows everyone.”

The first day on the job

Jones, whose main focus is getting a full assistant coaching staff assembled, met with his team for the first time Wednesday.

He said he was excited to meet his players, many of whom he recruited during his tenure at CMU as an offensive coach from 1998-2004.

But he said he was anxious, too.

“I paid a lot of attention to their body language – it tells everything,” Jones said. “I looked to see if they were slouched in their chairs, if their eyes were wandering about, but that wasn’t the case. Our players need to know they have someone they can trust – they have that. There’s a level of familiarity with me being here.

“What I saw (Wednesday) was an excited and eager football team.”

That eagerness was evident Thursday, as many of the players were in the weight room and the turf bay, lifting weights and doing conditioning drills.

The reason for that is simple, Jones said.

“A strong work ethic was something I stressed a lot, because the more you win, the more that’s at stake,” he said. “All of us – staff, coaches, players – we’re in a position we’ve never been in – defending a title – and that’s a great position to be in.”

An established past

Jones is used to that position. He spent the past two seasons as an offensive coach at West Virginia, a team that won the Big East Conference title in 2005. The Mountaineers went on to win the 2006 Sugar Bowl to finish 11-1, and finished No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll.

Jones’ success at WVU was a big reason why Athletics Director Dave Heeke brought him back to Mount Pleasant.

“The key to hiring a coach is to fit our situation,” Heeke said. “(Jones) knows how to be a winner, and he already has great relationships with his players. Butch was here before, and even though some coaches left and were let go (during Jones’ tenure), he was kept here year after year. That says something about his talent and character.”

Silencing the critics

When Heeke hired Jones, some people were skeptical of his time at CMU, a seven-year stretch under coaches Dick Flynn, Mike DeBord and Brian Kelly when the Chippewas combined record was just 26-53.

Some questioned why Heeke would bring a coach back from such a disappointing era.

But ignorance isn’t always bliss, Jones said.

“People who say things like that – they don’t know me,” Jones said. “They don’t know what they’re talking about. With me, you’re not getting someone that learns from trial and error. I understand football. I understand recruiting.

“The only person or people I have to please is myself.”

And Jones’ players couldn’t be more supportive.

“You can’t put that negativity (of those seasons) on coach Jones,” said senior linebacker Ike Brown. “Yeah, he was part of the staff, but that doesn’t make it his fault. It’s not going to have an effect on him or the team.”

Junior linebacker Red Keith agreed.

“(Jones) was here when the team was bad, but he wasn’t the head coach,” Keith said. “We’re excited for him because he gives us a lot more brains for our offense. He’s coming from West Virginia, so he knows the bottom and the top. The whole team’s excited for next season.”

So even though things may be hectic right now, Jones said he can’t wait to start leading his team’s Mid-American Conference title defense.

And, he has the best way to make sure his players are doing everything they can to prepare.

His office in the IAC oversees the weight room.

“So they know someone is always watching,” Jones said.

Then, as if on cue, he smiled.

The lighter side

Senior Reporter Kevin MacMillan sits down with football coach Butch Jones to find out about his life away from the football field.

Kevin MacMillan:
What’s your biggest fear?

Butch Jones: Snakes. Funny story – we had a video director at West Virginia who had a phobia of snakes. One of our players had a rubber snake, so we put it in the guy’s desk. He was kind of a heavier guy. I tell you, when that snake came out, I’ve never seen him move so fast.

KM: What’s your favorite movie?
BJ: I’d have to say “All the Right Moves.” Great movie.

KM: If you were a professional athlete, in what sport and at what position would it be?
BJ: Football. I’d be a quarterback or wide receiver.

KM: Why’s that?
BJ: I think a quarterback is like being an extension of a coach. They have a lot of responsibility.

KM: Who are your heroes?
BJ: My dad. He was a chief of police when I was growing up. He taught me things like where hard work will get you, and sacrifice. No matter how busy he was, he always made time for me and my sports. I’d put my mom up there too.

KM: When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun?
BJ: I’d have to say relaxing at home with my family. You’ve got to find a balance in work and sometimes you just have to step aside and let work go.

KM: What’s your favorite food?
BJ: Meatloaf.

KM: Really? That’s not usually a popular choice.
BJ: Yeah. There was a joke going around when I was at West Virginia. Everyone went home for Thanksgiving to have turkey. My wife cooked meatloaf. It was a joke around the office ever since.

KM: If you could have any job besides coaching, what would it be?
BJ: Probably a police officer. I think there’s lots of similarities with coaching. I think that’s why a lot of former athletes want to get involved in law enforcement.

KM: What do you miss most about being young?
BJ: Wow – that’s a good question.

I miss the fact that you don’t have a lot of worries, even though it might seem like it at the time. Life is very simple when you’re young.

There’s really no time deadlines.

I also miss hanging out with my buddies all the time.

KM: What’s your favorite college football game of all time?
BJ: West Virginia vs. Louisville in 2005. We won in triple overtime after a huge comeback. I’ve never seen one person will us to win like (WVU quarterback) Pat White did that night.

KM: What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?
BJ: It was probably at my first job at Wilkes University. I was at an alumni event, and forgot who the president’s wife was.

She finally told me she was the president’s wife after I already had been talking with her and asking her questions.

kmacmillan@cm-life.com