Steve Sarkisian praises Christian Jones ahead of Texas season-opening game vs. ULM

Christian Jones won’t be protecting Quinn Ewers‘ blindside this year, but instead is slated to start at right tackle for the first time in over a year thanks to some talented underclassmen vying for playing time. Despite the move, head coach Steve Sarkisian has been elated with the fall camp Jones has been having ahead of his senior season.

“I’ve been really impressed with Christian this training camp,” Sarkisian said. “He came out last year and we were playing him at left tackle, and I didn’t think he played his best football year. We really challenged him through spring ball and then in getting ready for training camp, he’s been a good player for us. He’s been steady. I almost feel like there’s been a step up in maturity of just kind of focusing on what he needs to do, and I’m proud of him.

“I’m happy for him because I think one thing that happens a lot of times is ,as guys get older, we assume they’re finished products. Guys [still] have room to grow, guys have room to improve and just because the guy is a senior doesn’t mean that he can’t work on his game and improve his game and I think Christian is one of those guys.”

In fact, nine of Jones’ ten starts in 2020 were at right tackle, with the regular season finale at Kansas State serving as his only start at left tackle. After strong performances during 2021 spring drills and preseason camp under first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, Jones won the left tackle role over Andrej Karic and hoped to turn his solid fall camp into breakout junior season, but it didn’t pan out that way.

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According to PFF College, Jones played 689 snaps at left tackle in 2021 and had an average run blocking grade of 62.1. However, his pass blocking average was a meager 48.3, including two sub-15.0 games versus Oklahoma and Iowa State. His overall 2021 offensive average grade was 56.4. 

In 662 snaps for Jones in the 2020 regular season, 628 of them being at right tackle, Jones received an average pass blocking grade from PFF of 59.3, an average run blocking grade of 70.6, and an overall average of 64.7.

Now back at his most comfortable position, Jones will look to make the most of his final season on the Forty Acres and to help play a hand in leading the Longhorns back to to national prominence in 2022.