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LOGAN — Cooper Jones did not want to fair catch the ball.
There was, in fact, plenty of grass between him and the incoming defenders; and as a member of a family where returning punts is practically embedded into your DNA, waving your hand in the air unnecessarily could lose you a seat at the family dinner. Also, how often does someone get a shot at returning a punt against the best team in the nation?
But the team came first, and due to the play Utah State special teams was running, Jones was ordered to fair catch the punt — no matter what.
So playing in front of nearly 100,000 fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium last week, Utah State football's newest scholarship player acquiesced, waved his hand in the air and fielded the fair catch against Alabama.
Jones, whose father, Mitch, explained he "is never satisfied," admitted to his family after the game that the result against Alabama and the lack of opportunity to return a kick was disappointing. The Elko, Nevada, native will readily admit, however, that all the other recent developments have been anything but disappointing.
The former junior college player and two-year Utah State walk-on, who paid his dues on the practice squad and in the Aggies running back room, received the news of a lifetime two weeks ago.
After a fall camp competing with Terrell Vaughn for the punt return spot, head coach Blake Anderson told Jones the day before the Connecticut game he would be the starting punt returner. Then, Anderson announced in front of the whole team that Jones would be put on a full-ride scholarship.
His teammates picked him and carried him around the room — something Anderson joked was not "that difficult" due to Jones' 5-foot-6, 170-pound frame. Moments later, Jones FaceTimed his family and broke the news.
"It's a dream come true," Jones said. "Honestly, I mean, I didn't expect it at all. That's what I've been working for ever since I got here. I went to JUCO at a high school in California, so there are no scholarships there. And I came here as a walk-on, so this is my third season here.
"I've just been grinding for (the scholarship) and trying to get the punt return spot and finally got both of them. … I called my family and they were pretty emotional about it — same with me."
The whole process has been a family affair. Mitch Jones, along with his wife Dyan, has been heavily involved with their son's collegiate career: from helping pay his tuition to driving four hours to Logan several times a year to support him in person, and chatting with him via FaceTime frequently.
"It was a pretty neat phone call to get," Mitch Jones said. "I mean, it's definitely a big relief to get the scholarship; it's something we were planning on. This has been his dream since he's been old enough to walk is play D-I football and be the punt returner and the whole deal. So yeah, well worth it."
Born and raised in Elko, punt returning for Jones is as familiar as the drive across the 1-80 in Northern Nevada. His dad is an Elko native who returned kicks at Shasta College and Sacramento State; his uncle, and Dyan's brother, Tim Gilligan, is an Elko native who played at Boise State and the Canadian Football League; his other uncle, Pete Jones, returned punts at Eastern Oregon; Mitch's father played football at Weber State.
Gilligan, who returned 117 kicks for 1,343 yards and a touchdown in his Boise State career from 2000-03, was notorious for not calling fair catches and was protected by the late "halo rule," which forced defenders to give returners a 2-yard buffer when they caught the ball. Twice in 2001, however, Gilligan was clobbered by head-hunting defenders who ignored the rule.
NEVER FORGET hit on Tim Gilligan by Fresno State. It started it all. pic.twitter.com/riZRKQE79h
— Bronco_Hammer (@Bronco_Hammer) November 9, 2018
The two plays, along with others, grabbed the NCAA's attention. Prior to the 2003 season, the halo rule was eliminated, with the idea that stripping returners of the buffer zone would increase their chances of calling fair catches, thus decreasing the chances of illegal collisions.
The rule change, along with the improvement of punters and kicking arc has changed the approach to punt returns. Jones' mindset, though, has not changed.
"I learned from them, and our mentality was no fair catches," Jones said. "That was my mentality growing up."
In his final two seasons at Elko High, Jones earned first-team all-state honors as a punt returner; in his senior year, he averaged 27.1 yards per kickoff return and 18 yards per punt return while dominating at running back and wide receiver. He did not get attention from colleges, however, because of his short frame and being at a 3A school in rural Nevada.
Utilizing his football connections, Mitch Jones helped his son out. He called the brother of one of his former teammates, Robby Snelling, who was the head coach at Butte College (Oroville, California), and Snelling immediately invited Jones to join the team.
Jones jumped on the opportunity and quickly won the punter return job. He flourished with the role and averaged 11.4 yards per return as a freshman. That got him on the radar of former Aggies coach Stacey Collins, who had a connection with Snelling. Collins called Jones while he was home for winter break after the 2019 season and offered him a preferred walk-on spot at Utah State.
Jones did't hesitate to take the offer.
"We ran back to Chico and got his stuff and moved him to Logan," Mitch Jones said.
"I didn't even come visit here, actually," Cooper Jones added. "I'd never been to Logan. I just moved here and got to work."
In his first two seasons at Utah State, Jones played a handful of games on special teams but never got a chance to return a punt or carry the ball. He has performed well in other opportunities, though, and in the 2021 spring game, he led the team in rushing with 94 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown.
But for a competitive player like Jones, who believes highly in his abilities, not playing took its toll.
"It was tough for me," Jones said. "I've been here for almost three years now. And, I mean, I've wanted that spot since I got here. So just not really hearing any news for so long, it started to get frustrating and stuff."
Throughout the process, one individual who was a major help to him was running back coach Chuckie Keeton.
"He's been by my side the whole time," Jones said. "I've gained a lot of trust in him and gotten really close with him. And, you know, he's known how I felt throughout the summer and through fall camp. So he's just been making sure that I stayed motivated, just making sure that I stayed ready for my shot."
"Coach Keaton has been unbelievable," Mitch Jones said. "I mean, he's helped him through anything. Any questions, anytime."
As he entered the 2022 offseason, Jones knew his time was running out. Having "never quit anything," Jones did not consider transferring; instead, he knew the punt return job was up for grabs with Jordan Nathan graduating last year. He spent nearly every day in the summer and fall camp catching punts.
Throughout the entire process, Jones has been praised for his work ethic and leadership. Keeton credited him for helping the newcomers in the running back room learn the offense and assimilate into the program.
"Coop is one of those guys you love to be around every day," Anderson said. "He's on scout team as a running back every day giving them just unbelievable effort. ... Great kid, great teammate — everything that you want a teammate to be."
A day after he got the scholarship news, Jones played in front of his family and home crowd against UConn. The first punt bounced on the ground, and Jones bobbled it and nearly lost it before he landed on it. The second return went better: He made the first defender miss and gained 4 yards.
Much to the chagrin of his coaches, on a later return he opted not to call a fair catch on a play he probably should have and was tackled immediately for no gain.
But what do you expect from a Jones out of Elko?
There is no doubt that Jones earning a scholarship, winning the punt return job and continuing his family's legacy is a big deal, especially in Elko, where locals are familiar with the family and ask Mitch Jones about his son everywhere he's gone.
Jones' family will be back in Logan for the Weber State game as he faces his grandfather's alma mater; and the family has high hopes he will have a chance to return a few kicks, too. Whatever happens, however, Jones understands he needs to put his team in the best position to win.
He's just grateful for the opportunity he's longed for all this time.
"I knew that I was capable," Jones said. "I just needed a shot and my coaches to trust me; I'm glad that they gave me that shot. Hopefully, I can keep gaining their trust."
