Mom's Advice Fuels Clemson Freshman's Energy and Mindset
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Freshman Ricardo Jones made an immediate impact in his home debut as No. 25 Clemson overwhelmed Appalachian State 66-20 on Sept. 7. The safety from Warner Robins, GA, not only registered three tackles and a pass breakup but also snagged his first career interception—a moment he recapped in his first media appearance as a Tiger last Tuesday.
"I see the running back flare out, so I'm trying to get over the top to take a good angle," Jones recounted. "And then as he [wide receiver Kaedin Robinson] is running the ball, I see him kind of looking up. I'm thinking, 'Is he gonna throw this ball?' So, I tried to take a good angle, kind of cut the receiver off, beat him to the point. That's what I did, made a play."
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Despite the excitement of his first turnover, Jones was quick to credit teammates for setting him up with the opportunity. "Shout out to my D-line, though, for making him throw a bad ball," he added.
For Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, the interception was a clear demonstration of what he and safeties coach Mickey Conn has seen since Jones arrived on campus in January as an early enrollee. "He's smart. He’s got good instincts," Swinney said when asked about Jones after the first scrimmage of fall camp, during which Jones forced a turnover.
Jones missed the final five spring practices due to a broken foot, but Conn saw enough from the former four-star recruit to name him as a player to watch for the fall, saying, "I think Ricardo Jones is a guy that had a really good spring. I'm excited to see what he does here in early fall. He brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the defense.”
Swinney also praised Jones for his energy. "He's a high-energy football player," Coach said. "You hear him, you see him. He's just one of those big personalities that loves to play football."
Additionally, he pointed out Jones's relentless approach to everything and mentality as well. "You can’t break him, no matter how hot it is, no matter how many gassers you run. He's going to keep going,” according to Swinney. “That's just his mindset. He’s one of the more mentally tough kids we've got that I’ve seen as a young guy committed."
Jones's never-quit mentality isn’t something he’s developed recently. It’s been ingrained in him, particularly from lessons imparted by his mother.
"I grew up playing rec [recreational] football, travel basketball, and baseball. She always told me,” he recalled from conversations, 'If you quit on something, you’ll quit in life.' If I quit running, I’m going to quit in life. I’m gonna quit in the big game in the fourth quarter when we need that stop.”
“So, I try to never give up—whatever I do,” Jones continued. “If it’s in the classroom, if it’s a hard test, don’t give up. On the field, if we’ve got 10 laps, don’t give up. It’s just a mindset."
And that mindset kept him locked in the fourth quarter of a 46-point blowout. He showed no signs of letting up on the play and made the most significant play of his career thus far in front of a packed crowd in Memorial Stadium. “When I heard them say my name, ‘Ricardo Jones with an interception.’ It was crazy,” Jones said. “All the fans, all my teammates running on the field. It’s a surreal like crazy moment.”
