Kevin Willard is tasked with filling at least one assistant coaching vacancy this offseason after Mike Jones was officially named as the next head coach at Old Dominion last week, becoming the fourth assistant to leave for a head coaching opportunity in less than two seasons. It ends a short tenure in College Park for Jones after just one season with the program, but after the two years prior as an assistant with Virginia Tech gave him his first college coaching job, the former DeMatha head coach is now back leading his program own program again and this time at his alma mater.
Mike Jones joined the Junkies and explained how the Old Dominion job came to fruition, how Kevin Willard took the news and his next steps with the Monarchs.
Mike Jones on whether the initial decision to leave DeMatha was tough
“Well, I mean, to be honest with you, yes but no. When I first left, I was so excited about being at Virginia Tech and trying to build something great with coach [Mike] Young. And that’s not just cliché — like I really mean that. I wanted to be a coach again and once I made the jump to the college side, Old Dominion had always been a dream of mine. Just like being the head coach at DeMatha was. Obviously it worked out and I could not feel more blessed and I’m excited. Like ready to go.”
Mike Jones on how the Old Dominion job came to fruition
“I have known coach [Jeff] Jones since I was a player at ODU and he was coaching UVA so I’ve known him since I was what, 19 years old. [I] always had respected him. He recruited players from our program when he was at American, won a couple of championships with one of them. So he and I have always had a strong relationship. I’ve always admired how he ran his program. So we’ve, through him recruiting DeMatha guys, we’ve always had a relationship. Once I joined the college side, I mean, he’s somebody that has become a mentor to me and somebody that I can communicate with. A lot of staff changes and things like that happened down at Old Dominion, and I think at some point in time when Jeff knew that he might not be coaching much longer, our relationship grew even more. And at some point in time, he let me know that if something would happen with him, he thought I would be a great person to take the reigns. I mean, literally it was just that conversation. And then, you know, it’s just funny how things happen but I’ve always had his support and I really, really appreciate that.”
Mike Jones on how Kevin Willard took the coaching news
“Coach is the man. Coach Willard is absolutely the man. I mean, if you think about what he’s been able to do, one year at Maryland, three guys — one of them is not even on the road coach — but three guys get a head coaching job. And then before the completion of a second season, another coach gets a head coaching job. And I don’t care what anybody says that is truly amazing, one. Two, it speaks to him and his preparation and all the things that we’ve learned from him and he’s become a head coach and then he’s gotten bumps in jobs. Like he went from being an assistant to getting the head coaching job at Iona, Iona to Seton Hall, obviously from Seton Hall to Maryland. So he’s been through this himself so he understood. Very happy for me. But how difficult would it be to going to [the] office in College Park and go to practice and not have at least part of my brain on the big job that I have ahead of me? After a conversation with him and with his blessing, yeah. But he’s got to focus on his team and I’ve got to focus on mine. And I truly appreciate him for that. I know a lot of times people just don’t understand this side of the game and especially aspects like this, but I respect the hell out of Kevin Willard and thank him so much. Cause in his very short period of time, he’s made me a better coach.”
Mike Jones on the next steps now at Old Dominion
“They’re still playing. I can’t really do anything until they’re done. They play in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament tonight and I’m rooting for them. Like hopefully they can shock the world and finish the season off the right way. And then once they’re done, then we can really get to work, but obviously now while they’re still playing, I’m trying to cover as many of the bases I can. I am out recruiting. I am preparing for what is going to be a crazy transfer portal season and I am respecting the current staff, so I’m not doing anything with [the] staff until their season ends and I’m able to have a conversation with the men that have led that team this year. And I believe I owe them that much. Obviously, there’s going to be some things that are going to have to change, but I do owe that to that staff because it’s been a tough season on them. It’s been a tough season on those young men and I believe that’s the least I can do. The benefit of the timing of this is I didn’t get hired on March 16th with the portal opening in two days. We do have a little time, but I don’t have much time.”
Mike Jones on whether he’ll take Deion Sanders’s approach with roster overhaul
“No offense. Deion Sanders is amazing and he is somebody who’s like a pied piper. People want to follow him, but I am who I am and let’s just say I’ll take a different approach.”
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