When defensive backs coach Daronte Jones suffered a season-ending injury his sophomore year at Morgan State, he didn’t know it would be the last time he played football.
After receiving too many stingers, Jones learned he had cervical nerve damage, which occurs in the neck. He returned to practice at the beginning of his junior year, but got another stinger and was declared medically unable to play.
Jones began to feel down after learning his playing career was over. It was after this that his position coach asked that he help him out and Jones’ coaching career began.
“It was kinda to get me out of my slump mentally from not being to play,” Jones said. “It was a blessing in disguise.”
After helping out his defensive backs coach for two years as an undergrad at Morgan State, Jones went to Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina as a graduate assistant, marking the official beginning of his coaching career. He went on to coach at Nicholls State, Bowie State and UCLA, and even coached a year in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes. He has made his way back to the continental United States after a three-year stint in Hawai’i.
Jones said that his favorite part of coaching was building lasting relationships with players. After 15 years coaching, he’s certainly developed several of these close relationships.
“You think back to all the guys you’ve coached in the past, that you’re still in contact with and they still contact with you ‘Hey coach how’s it going, how’s the family?’” Jones said.
Off the field, Jones said he likes to relax and laugh and is an avid reader. His most recent favorite books are “Kingdom Man” by Tony Evans and “Instinct: The Power to Unleash Your Inborn Drive” by T.D. Jakes.
He also enjoys going back to his native Maryland to visit his family, which he now gets to do a little more after living in Hawai’i for the past three years. He roots for both of his hometown football teams, the Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Redskins, with a caveat for whoever is having the better year.
“I publicly cheer for the Ravens. I secretly cheer for the Redskins,” Jones said.
The Badgers continue to rely on their defense to keep them in games as their sputtering offense struggles to score points. Jones is the head of a secondary unit that constantly flusters opponents in the middle of the field. Jones vast coaching experience can be seen as the unit keeps improving each and every week.
