Arizona State defensive back Jack Jones wins MVP after stunning pick
Jenna Ortiz
Arizona State defensive back Jack Jones had always wanted to throw the ball into the stands after a pick. He just didn’t have the right setting until 9:49 in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 38-15 win over Arizona when he read Arizona quarterback Will Plummer’s pass and returned it for an 87-yard touchdown.
“I was excited and I was thinking about that at USC, when I was at USC, I was thinking about my first pick-6, I’ll throw it in the stands, but never had that opportunity. So when I saw it, it was just go to me,” Jones said.
However, not everyone at ASU was pleased with the gesture that cost Jones two penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“Jack doesn’t overdo it, he really does it,” head coach Herm Edwards said. “I said if you throw that in the stands in the NFL, that’s going to cost you money, and you don’t have any money. So stop doing that.”
Jones gave Arizona flashbacks of his performance against the Wildcats in 2019 when he turned the tide twice on two interceptions in the 24-14 win over Arizona. He made his appearance count in the rivalry game’s return to Sun Devil Stadium with two big turnovers off Arizona.
“Jack’s been that guy from day one. When you need to make a play, I always tell him, I need you to go do it and when his number is called, he’s always been there for us,” ASU defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce said.
Jones and Pierce’s relationship extends back to Jones’ days at Long Beach Poly High School where Pierce was the head coach. That connection helped bring Jones to ASU after he was dismissed from USC following his sophomore season due to academic issues.
However, President Michael Crow had to be involved in bringing Jones to Arizona State due to a past incident where Jones pled guilty to a second-degree misdemeanor charge of commercial burglary in October of 2018. The felony charges were dropped as part of the plea, but Jones served 45 days of house arrest with three years of informal probation.
“People say it all the time and you hear it all the time that it can be gone in a day, and it’s the honest truth, I’ve been there. I sat out of football for a while and that was probably the hardest time of my life,” Jones said.
From then on, Jones proved himself at Arizona State and made strides in and outside the field as he earned the Scholar Baller honor and will graduate following the season.
“It’s been a great three years to be back with him. I’m proud of where he’s going,” Pierce said.
Following the game, Jones earned the Bob Moran Territorial Cup MVP award for his performance of one sack, one interception, and six total tackles.
“I thank Michael Crow, Ray Anderson, Herm [Edwards], Marv [Lewis], AP [Antonio Pierce], and everybody on that coaching staff because this was for them,” Jones said.
Jones and the defense combined for four sacks, an astounding number to end their drought of five weeks. At 12:15 in the second quarter, Jones applied the pressure, eventually popping the ball out of Plummer’s hands. ASU defensive lineman Tyler Johnson ran to the rolling ball and nearly got it into the end zone for a 33-yard recovery. Rachaad White got the touchdown after for the 14-6 lead.
The defense held Arizona to a trio of field goals and just one touchdown that came at 9:35 in the third quarter. But even after giving up the first touchdown, Chase Lucas didn’t allow Arizona to complete their two-point conversion when he knocked the receiver out of bounds just short of the goal line.
Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz.