USC set to hire running back coach Anthony Jones Jr.
The USC Trojans are set to hire TCU running back coach Anthony Jones Jr. to the same position, filling the spot vacated by Kiel McDonald when he left for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jones came onto the WeAreSC radar in the search toward the end of February. This past Saturday, WeAreSC’s Scott Schrader reported Jones would be the likely hire and the official announcement would likely come on Tuesday. Monday, Matt Zenitz reported that USC is set to hire Jones.
USC head coach Lincoln Riley completely revamped his defensive coaching staff this offseason. In doing so, he made a point to bring in coaches who excelled in player development. Riley had just one opening to fill on the offensive side with the McDonald’s departure late in the cycle. But Riley clearly valued player development on that side of the ball as well. Jones is a homerun in that regard.
Jones has produced players at every one of his previous stops, which includes the high school ranks as well as in college at Memphis and TCU.
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In six years as a high school coach, he sent 75 players on to college football as scholarship athletes. If TCU’s Emani Bailey is chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft — he just participated in the NFL Combine and is a likely selection — Jones will have produced six running backs selected in the NFL Draft in the past six seasons, as well as a running back who signed as a free agent and made the active 53-man roster.
In 2023 at TCU, Bailey rushed for 1,209 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. Bailey will participate in this week’s 2024 NFL Combine and went from a three-star signee with Louisiana in the 2020 recruiting class to a likely selection in the upcoming NFL draft.
Former TCU back Kendre Miller went in the third round to the New Orleans Saints in the 2023 draft after rushing for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2022 — Jones’ first year at TCU. Before that, Jones oversaw a Memphis running back room that had four players drafted in three years. Darrell Henderson went in the third round and Tony Pollard went in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. Antonio Gibson was selected in the third round of the 2020 draft. And Kenneth Gainwell went in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. In the four drafts following years Jones coached at Memphis, four of the eight total Tigers selected were running backs. Jones also served as recruiting coordinator during his time at Memphis.
