University of Connecticut Athletics
Jones Bringing Energy To UConn Defense
9/23/2022 8:24:00 PM | Football
Sept. 23, 2022
STORRS, Conn. -- Ahead of a tough matchup on Saturday against North Carolina State, UConn coach Jim Mora said that the main thing he is looking for in his defense are players who want to compete.
"We're still looking for players that are playing to a high standard," Coach Mora said. "They're playing with great effort, great energy, and are trying to do the little things right. We're gonna build on those characteristics and we're gonna build on those people."
Those are the exact traits exhibited by sophomore defensive back Durante Jones. When UConn's defense was challenged in a difficult game last week against a tough Michigan offense, Jones used the game as a learning opportunity to improve and help his team take steps forward toward becoming better on the field.
"We have to keep working to come together," Jones said. "We have to keep practicing hard. We have to keep tackling. We have to keep that maniacal effort and just keep going, keep listening to coach, and just keep buying into the process."
When it came time to get back on the practice field and perfect his craft, Jones applied the lessons he learned on some of the biggest stages in college football. The UConn sophomore, from Atlanta, has always appreciated the opportunity to play FBS football in front of thousands of fans.
"I catch myself in moments in the middle of the game where I just look around and think, 'Golly, this is what I really dreamed about,'" said Jones. "It's always good to have that memory that's stuck in your head."
Even when official practices and games are over, the work never stops for Jones. He can always be found putting in extra laps on the field or practicing skills. For the UConn sophomore, all those hours that he puts into perfecting his skills are geared toward becoming the best all-around football player he can be.
"You never have something that you're just too good at," said Jones. "I want to be good at everything and continue to work on everything."
As one of the returning starters on the UConn defense, Jones knew that, despite being just a sophomore with plenty of things to work on, he would have to continue being himself and show leadership on the field to push his teammates to the next level.
"I just keep being me. I'm naturally a leader, so being me is something that I've been doing my whole life," Jones said. "They feed off my energy and I feed off theirs,"
Jones' energy is a core part of his personality. On the field, the sophomore is a player who exhibits energy on every play, not only energizing the fans at Rentschler Field, but also his own teammates by pushing them to their very best. From UConn DB coach Dalton Hilliard to Jones himself, energy is a big priority amongst the entire UConn DB group.
"We harp on energy heavily around here," Jones said. "When you're playing this game, you can't play this game without energy. Energy is contagious and it's effective through the whole defense."
Off the field, Jones puts his energy into keeping the UConn brotherhood alive and being a perfect teammate. By always being there for his team, Jones says that it all feels like a family.
"The DB group and the brotherhood itself are all one big family," Jones said. "I know if there's anything I need, they're going to come through."
