BOYS
LIBERTY NORTH TOURNAMENT – 1ST ROUND
Central 42, Kearney 39
GIRLS
Benton 42, Park Hill 35 OT
Category: Sports
Puryear, Woods help Missouri defeat Miami (Ohio)
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri coach Kim Anderson is still tinkering with his coaching style in his third season at the Division-I level.
At halftime of the Tigers’ 81-55 victory over Miami (Ohio) Tuesday, Anderson “jumped” his players in the locker room.
“The idea of getting leads and then losing leads, that’s not acceptable,” Anderson said. “We can’t continue to do that. This team will only be as good as how it reacts to adversity… Our margin of error isn’t as great as some teams.”
The Tigers (5-3) seemed to react well, as Kevin Puryear scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Russell Woods added 15 points and 10 rebounds, his first double-double of the season. He was 4 of 7 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line, well above his 56.5 percent season average.
“Coach (Anderson) just gave me the confidence,” said Woods, who scored all of his points after halftime. “Kevin (Puryear) kind of kept my head up. He just told me to keep playing, just keep fighting, and I just came out there and tired to go hard.”
Logan McLane made the first basket of the game just 19 seconds in, but Missouri answered with a 16-0 run, holding the RedHawks scoreless for 9:03.
Michael Weathers’ 3-pointer with 10:36 remaining in the first half snapped the lengthy scoring drought and sparked a 23-7 run that gave the RedHawks a 25-23 lead approaching halftime. However, with 13 seconds remaining in the half, Terrence Phillips hit a 3-pointer to give Missouri a 26-25 halftime lead.
“That was definitely a big momentum booster for us in the second half,” Puryear said of Phillips’ 3-pointer. “I think that play carried over into the second half. We had a big a talk in the locker room about knocking down shots and just not putting too much pressure on ourselves to knock down those shots.”
“First halves have just not been our strength this year in that we’ve struggled offensively, sometimes, just not being able to be consistent,” RedHawks coach John Cooper said.
Frankie Hughes picked up where Phillips left off, nailing a 3-pointer only 29 seconds into the second half. Hughes finished with 13 points.
Missouri came out of halftime on a 20-5 run and rarely let up, outscoring the RedHawks 55-30 in the second half.
“In the second half, they start off well and they score, and they punch us in the face,” Cooper said. “It’s almost as if we just couldn’t handle it, couldn’t answer it. A couple times, we were trying to get it all back in one possession. And then, they started dominating the offensive boards, they were getting the ball inside, and they were just more physical than we were at that point in the game.”
Michael Weathers had 12 points and four assists but fouled out with 5:49 seconds remaining. McLane finished with 12 points and five rebounds, and fouled out with 2:06 remaining. Marcus Weathers and Bruno Solomun each added 11 points and six rebounds.
The RedHawks (4-5) committed 28 personal fouls, tying a season high. Missouri converted on 22 of 31 free-throw attempts, including 16 of 21 in the second half.
Cullen VanLeer had 14 points, shooting 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and Phillips finished with seven points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals.
BIG PICTURE
Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks shot 34.3 percent from 3-point range in their first eight games, but struggled to find any rhythm against Missouri, making just 6 of 31 attempts, nearly half their season average. Meanwhile, Missouri made a season-high nine 3-pointers.
Missouri: The Tigers 16-0 run to start the game is a good sign for Missouri fans. The storyline of this young team this season has been an inability to recover from slow starts and poor shooting stretches, but it displayed neither Tuesday.
Hughes has scored 112 points in Mizzou’s so far, making the third-straight season a Tiger freshman has scored 100 in his first eight games.
UP NEXT
Miami (Ohio) hosts IUPUI Saturday. The Jaguars defeated the RedHawks 78-64 last season in Indianapolis.
Missouri hosts Arizona Saturday. The Wildcats defeated the Tigers 88-52 last season in Tucson.
— Associated Press —
No. 3 Kansas rolls over UMKC 105-62 to give Bill Self win No. 600
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just as the video celebrating his first 600 wins was wrapping up, Kansas coach Bill Self turned to his left and saw Frank Mason III, extending a ball to him to commemorate the milestone.
It was fitting: Nobody did more to deliver Self’s most recent victory.
The sparkplug point guard poured in 30 points to match his career high, Devonte Graham and Josh Jackson also had starring roles, and the third-ranked Jayhawks cruised to a 105-62 victory over Missouri-Kansas City on Tuesday night to give their coach a win 24 years in the making.
“It’s really cool to see all the guys who have been a part of this before and been before me,” said Jackson, who had 19 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. “To be part now feels good.”
Indeed, more than a dozen of Self’s former players appeared on the video, ranging from Cole Aldrich and Mario Chalmers to Tony Heard, one of the coach’s early stars at Tulsa.
“We tried to get him to cry,” Jackson said, “but he was like, `Nah, not happening.”
Self is the ninth-fastest coach to reach 600 wins, just behind Phog Allen, whose name adorns Kansas’ building. The former Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois coach is 394-84 with the Jayhawks, and Self’s mark of 212-9 at Allen Fieldhouse is downright absurd considering the Jayhawks’ typically rugged schedule.
“The video was really good. I had no idea,” Self said. “Seeing some of those men, those guys were just kids when we had them, and some of them are over 40 years old now. Seeing some of those guys up there, that was very meaningful. That was very cool.”
Graham was 6 of 8 from beyond the arc and finished with 18 points for the Jayhawks (8-1), while Svi Mykhailiuk added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
LaVell Boyd had 17 points for the Roos, who have never beaten Kansas in seven tries.
Of course, this game against UMKC (6-4) was essentially over the moment the contract was signed.
Kansas opened a 10-point lead before the 4-minute mark, extended the advantage to 51-35 by the break, then reeled off the first 10 points of the second half to put it away.
That’s not to say Self enjoyed every minute of his milestone win.
There was the pass that Jackson threw to the second row of seats late in the first half. There were the missed block-outs by Landen Lucas that gave the Roos extra opportunities. And there was a turnover that prompted Self to let rip a PG-13 tirade that could be heard almost everywhere in an otherwise quiet gym.
“What are you guys doing?” he asked. “What are you frickin’ doing?”
Hardly missing a shot. The Jayhawks were 15 of 27 from beyond the arc, shot 57 percent for the game and rolled to their nation-leading 45th consecutive victory at Allen Fieldhouse.
Not to mention a memorable win for their coach.
“I can’t even fathom that,” Roos coach Kareem Richardson said of Self’s 600th victory, “but that’s an awesome feat. And he’ll have a heck of a lot more wins to go with that.”
NO CRYING IN BASKETBALL
There were plenty of hugs for Self in the locker room, and Jackson said some of the players tried to get their coach to cry. Success? “Nah, they weren’t going to do that,” Self said. “All I’ve got to do is think about how we shoot free throws — I cry when I’m that mad.”
UMKC’S MAIN GOAL
The Roos hardly planned to roll over, but they also kept things in perspective. “I mean, at the end of the day, we still want to get better as a team as well. That’s all we wanted to do tonight is get better,” Boyd said. Asked whether that happened, he replied: “Not really.”
BIG PICTURE
UMKC could sorely use senior guard Martez Harrison, the team’s second-leading scorer. He missed his fourth consecutive game while serving an indefinite suspension due to a violation of school policy.
Kansas has not been tested through the first four games of a six-game homestand. The closest anybody has come to the Jayhawks was Stanford, which lost 89-74 last weekend. That was also the only time Kansas has been held under 90 points during those four games.
UP NEXT
UMKC plays Division II school William Jewell on Saturday.
Kansas plays former Big 12 rival Nebraska on Saturday.
— Associated Press —
Wade scores 19, leads Kansas State past Prairie View A&M
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State coach Bruce Weber admitted he didn’t have his team totally ready to face Prairie View on Tuesday night.
But it worked out because the Wildcats got help from long distance.
Kansas State knocked down 11 3-pointers and the Wildcats cruised to a 74-55 win over Prairie View A&M Tuesday night.
While Prairie View struggled from the field, the Wildcats were 11 of 20 from distance and hit five 3-pointers in the second half.
In a game where the Wildcats’s offense was sluggish, Weber still found time to bask in his 400th career victory.
“There’s a lot of positives,” Weber said. “You know, 20 assists again, for the third straight game. Last year we might’ve had to piece three games together to get 20 assists. Shooting the ball well from three, Dean (Wade) is slowly but surely figuring things out and being more active.”
Wade scored a season-high 19 points, hitting 6 of 8 from the field, and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Kansas State (8-1), which remains undefeated at home. Barry Brown and DJ Johnson each finished with 12 points and Kamau Stokes finished with 11.
The Wildcats shot 54.3 percent from the field for the game (25 of 46).
Prairie View (2-7) kept it close in the first half, even taking the lead at one point, but turnovers and poor shooting allowed Kansas State to pull away in the second half.
Daquan Cook led the Panthers with 18 points. Zachary Hamilton added 14.
BIG PICTURE
Prairie View A&M: The Panthers now have lost four straight.
Kansas State: Kansas State remains undefeated at home and is 9-1 all-time against opponents form the SWAC.
STAT OF THE NIGHT: With the victory, head coach Bruce Weber now has 400 career wins. Before his latest stop at Kansas State, Weber coached at Illinois and Southern Illinois.
FRESHMAN STANDOUT: Xavier Sneed scored eight points coming off the bench.
HE SAID IT: Bruce Weber on winning his 400th game: “I’m very fortunate and very blessed to be in the game a long time as a head coach and assistant coach. Being a part of a lot of great teams — I still remember my first win. That group helped set the tone at SIU and no one thought we’d win any games. I remember the first win here. A lot of good things, a lot of great things. I told the guys after the game that I’m happy about winning 400 but I’m focused on wining 401.”
UP NEXT
Prairie View A&M: The Panthers continue their seven-game road trip at Texas State
Kansas State: This will be the last true home game for the Wildcats until December 21 as they host Washington State in Kansas City on December 10.
— Associated Press —
City High School Basketball Scores – Monday, December 5
GIRLS
Notre Dame de Sion 40, Benton 36
LIBERTY NORTH TOURNAMENT – 1ST ROUND
Central 48, St. Pius X 47
Missouri Western hires former Griffon Matt Williamson as new head football coach
AUDIO: MWSU AD Kurt McGuffin discusses the hire
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western State University director of athletics Kurt McGuffin announced Monday that Matt Williamson has been named the sixth head football coach in Missouri Western history.
Matt Williamson is a 1996 Missouri Western graduate who is very familiar with Griffon Football and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). He began his coaching career at Missouri Western in 1997 as a graduate assistant and returned to his alma mater in 2000 as a defensive line coach before becoming defensive coordinator in 2005, a position he held for two seasons. Since leaving Missouri Western, Williamson spent 10 seasons at the Division I level, most recently serving as defensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin University.
“We’re very happy to see Matt come home,” McGuffin said. “Clearly, Matt is familiar with Missouri Western, the region and the MIAA, which is a very important foundation to have as a head coach in this league. Matt will also bring a wealth of knowledge from coaching experiences outside this conference and at various levels of NCAA football.”
A press conference introducing Williamson will be held Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 11 a.m. in the KCP&L Theater inside the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex.
“It’s a blessing, an honor, to be selected as the new head coach at one of the top Division II programs in the country,” Williamson said. “I’m looking forward to getting back on campus and back to St. Joseph. In the last 11 years, there hasn’t been a day when I didn’t think about Missouri Western. This university and this community are going to get every ounce of energy I have. I’m fired up, and I’m ready to go.”
In three seasons as defensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin, Williamson had the Lumberjack defense among the top of the Southland Conference in rushing and scoring defense. In his first year at SFA, Williamson guided a turnaround of the defensive unit, giving up 21 fewer points per game and 120 fewer yards per game than the 2013 SFA defense.
Prior to his stint at Stephen F. Austin, Williamson was defensive coordinator at the University of Central Arkansas during the 2010-13 seasons after serving as defensive line coach and special teams coordinator for three seasons. Williamson’s UCA defenses led the Southland Conference in scoring defense three-straight seasons.
After serving two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at MWSU, Williamson spent one season as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Arkansas-Monticello.
The three-time All-MIAA defensive lineman was named honorable mention Don Hansen All-American for the Griffons in 1995.
— MWSU Athletics —
Berry leads Chiefs to 29-28 win at Atlanta
ATLANTA (AP) — Eric Berry returned an interception for a touchdown, and then brought back another pick for a 2-point conversion that gave the Kansas City Chiefs an improbable 29-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The Falcons, rallying from a 27-16 deficit, went ahead 28-27 on Matt Ryan’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Aldrick Robinson with 4:32 remaining.
Atlanta decided to go for 2, looking to stretch the margin to a field goal. But Berry stepped in front of Ryan’s pass and ran 99 yards the other way to give the Chiefs (9-3) their winning margin. It came after Denver stole a game in similar fashion last month, returning a blocked PAT for the winning points at New Orleans.
Sunday’s outcome meant even more to Berry, who grew up in suburban Atlanta and was playing in the city for the first time as a professional. Also, it’s where he was treated after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma near the end of the 2014 season.
“I shed a few tears before the game, I shed a few tears during the game and I shed a few after,” Berry said. “It was just a lot of emotions. I tried to contain them and let it show through my play.”
Ryan was clearly down after the game, knowing this was one that got away from the Falcons (7-5).
“A poor play on my part,” the quarterback said. “I was expecting combination coverage to the outside. Eric Berry did good job coming down off and going onto the tight end. A disappointing play.”
Berry had another huge play with less than a minute to go in the first half, picking off Ryan’s pass over the middle and bringing it back 37 yards for a touchdown. After reaching the end zone, he handed the ball to his mother sitting in the stands at the Georgia Dome.
“I just handed it to her and told her I’d be back.” Berry quipped.
He fulfilled that promise.
Those weren’t the only backbreaking plays given up by the Falcons. On fourth-and-2 from their own 45, Kansas City faked a punt and snapped the ball directly to Albert Wilson , who played his college ball in the same stadium for Georgia State. Wilson burst up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown that extended Kansas City’s lead in the third quarter.
“I had a sense it would come down to the end, and it did,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “But I reminded the team that it never comes down to one play.”
Alex Smith completed 21 of 25 passes for 270 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown to Spencer Ware. Travis Kelce was Kansas City’s top receiver, hauling in eight passes for 140 yards.
Ryan was 22 of 34 for 297 yards, but his two huge mistakes doomed the Falcons. Julio Jones hauled in seven passes for 113 yards, while Devonta Freeman had a couple of 1-yard touchdown runs.
LONG KICK
Forty-one-year-old Matt Bryant closed out the first half with the second-longest field goal of his career for the Falcons.
Barely across midfield, Bryant booted a 59-yarder that easily clear the crossbar, cutting Kansas City’s lead to 20-16 at the break. The only longer kick for Bryant was a 62-yarder with Tampa Bay in 2006.
He also tied Atlanta’s franchise record for longest field goal. Morten Andersen made a 59-yarder in 1995.
INJURY REPORT
The Falcons lost left tackle Jake Matthews to a left knee injury in the first half.
Trainers put a sleeve over the knee, and Matthews tested it out on the sideline with some runs and cuts. But he headed to the locker room just before halftime and didn’t return. Tom Compton finished out the game protecting Ryan’s blind side.
Kansas City was again missing Jeremy Maclin, its leading receiver. He returned to practice Wednesday and it was thought he’d be able to play after sitting out three straight games with a groin injury. But he didn’t dress against the Falcons.
UP NEXT
Chiefs: Return home for a huge Thursday night game against AFC West rival Oakland, the first of three straight games at Arrowhead Stadium before the season finale at San Diego.
Falcons: Travel to Los Angeles next Sunday to take on the Rams.
— Associated Press —
Missouri women lose big at IUPUI 73-45
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball fell on the road to IUPUI, 73-45, on Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis. IUPUI (6-1) shot 52 percent from the field, including 50 percent from beyond the arc, and used a strong first half to build a lead and down Mizzou (6-3).
Sophomores Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) and Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) led the Tigers. Cunningham notched 13 points, reaching double figures for the eighth time in nine games. Porter tallied 12 points and six rebounds. She’s collected at least 10 points in nine consecutive games to begin the 2016-17 campaign.
With the score knotted at 6-6 early in the opening quarter, IUPUI put together a 16-5 run to push in front by 11. Cunningham battled back with buckets on back-to-back possessions to cut Mizzou’s deficit to 25-17 at the 7:21 mark, but the Jaguars’ hot-shooting continued as they took a 41-21 edge into halftime.
Mizzou started the second half with a quick 5-0 spurt. Following a spin move and layup by freshman Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.), Cunningham drilled a three on Mizzou’s next possession. IUPUI responded again with a pair of tough baskets from center Mikale Rogers.
Mizzou could not chip away at the deficit down the stretch as IUPUI added to its advantage in the fourth quarter. Tiger freshman Jordan Roundtree (St. Louis, Mo.) checked in in the final minutes and scored her second career basket with a strong drive.
IUPUI finished with three scorers in double figures. Junior Danielle Lawrence posted a game-high 24 points.
Mizzou returns to Mizzou Arena on Wednesday to begin a four-game homestand. The Tigers host SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 7. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —
Kansas State to play Texas A&M in AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Riding a 5-1 record over the final half of the 2016 season, including three straight wins to secure its fifth eight-win season since 2010, K-State Nation is heading to Houston for the first time since 2006 as Kansas State Athletics Director John Currie announced today that the Wildcats have accepted an invitation to play in the 2016 AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl on Wednesday, December 28.
The game, which dates back to 2006 when K-State played in the inaugural bowl matchup, pits the Big 12 and the SEC and will be played at NRG Stadium at 8 p.m. CT, with a nationwide television audience watching on ESPN. The Wildcats’ opponent from the SEC will be announced later this evening.
“I am very proud of our team and coaches for another terrific season and earning our seventh-straight bowl invitation,” said Currie. “With season ticket holders from 44 different states and a national fan base that features more than 250,000 friends and alumni across the country, including more than 3,000 in the Houston area, we are excited to showcase our football program and Kansas State University in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl against an SEC opponent. I know our fans are excited to again showcase their unprecedented support, which includes 33-straight sellouts at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, in one of America’s largest cities while our football student-athletes, coaches and staff are provided a first-class experience.”
The Wildcats (8-4) will be playing in their 20th bowl game in school history and 18th under Bill Snyder as the Cats are 7-10 all-time in bowls under the legendary and hall of fame head coach. Following 11-straight bowls from 1993-2003 under Snyder, the Cats have now gone bowling in each of the last seven seasons and will be making the program’s second appearance in the Texas Bowl.
“Congratulations to Coach Snyder, his staff and our student-athletes for being selected to the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl,” said President Richard Myers. “We are very excited to be headed to Texas and representing the Big 12 Conference. This provides a fitting end to a successful season, and we look forward to our fans continuing a great K-State tradition by turning Houston purple.”
K-State heads into bowl season as one of the hottest teams in college football, winning five of its last six games, including the final three. The Wildcats’ road to the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl began with a tough road loss at No. 8 Stanford and followed with five wins over the next seven games, including Big 12 wins over Texas Tech, Texas and Iowa State. Following a tough fourth-quarter loss to Oklahoma State, K-State won at Baylor for the first time since 2002 and also kept the Governor’s Cup trophy in Manhattan for the eighth straight season under Snyder with a 34-19 win over in-state rival Kansas. The Wildcats wrapped up their regular season with a dominating 30-6 victory at TCU.
In addition to a Big 12-leading 29 selections to the Academic All-Big 12 team and the No. 1 football Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the Big 12, excitement in Wildcat football was also evidenced by six sellout crowds at Bill Snyder Family Stadium this season, which ran K-State’s consecutive sellout streak to 33 games.
“We are proud of the young men in our program for the way they improved throughout the season and very pleased to represent Kansas State University and the Big 12 Conference in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl,” said head coach Bill Snyder. “The Texas Bowl is a first-class bowl organization with a rich history, and we appreciate the entire bowl staff for their efforts and support of our program.
“We have a wonderful fan base, and so many people that save up their nickels and dimes throughout the course of the year, and the only vacation they take is the one after our (regular) season is over. They love to attend bowls and it’s why we have such great attendance year in and year out at bowl games. They are fully invested in our program and this means a great deal to them.”
— K-State Athletics —
Nebraska selected to play in the Music City Bowl against Tennessee
The University of Nebraska has been selected to participate in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. The Huskers will take on the Tennessee Volunteers of the Southeastern Conference on Friday, Dec. 30 with kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT.
The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will be televised nationally on ESPN and is played at Nissan Stadium, the home of the Tennessee Titans.
Head Coach Mike Riley is guiding his 10th team to a bowl game, including two at Nebraska and eight at Oregon State. Riley owns a 7-2 record in bowl games and his 78 percent winning percentage ranks fifth in NCAA history among coaches who have appeared in at least eight bowl games.
“We are excited about the invitation to complete the 2016 season in the Music City Bowl,” Riley said. “This is a great opportunity to finish our year in an outstanding bowl game and compete for a 10th win against an excellent Tennessee team. As a staff, we are looking forward to spending the additional practice time with this team and preparing for a strong performance.
“I know our players, coaches and fans will enjoy the trip to Nashville, and we anticipate a great week of activities and an excellent football game.”
The appearance in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will be the first-ever for the Huskers, and Nebraska’s second bowl game in the state of Tennessee, adding to an appearance in the 1977 Liberty Bowl. The Music City Bowl is Nebraska’s 53rd all-time bowl appearance, tying for the second-most bowl appearances of any school in the country. Nebraska has appeared in a bowl game in 46 of the past 48 seasons, and the Music City Bowl will mark the 16th bowl in which Nebraska has participated.
“The University of Nebraska is extremely honored to accept an invitation to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl,” University of Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst said. “The Music City Bowl is an exceptional Big Ten bowl partner, Nashville is a world-class city and this will be a great destination for our student-athletes, staff and the best fans in college football.”
Nebraska enters the game with a 9-3 record, including a 6-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Huskers’ four-game improvement during the regular season marked the Huskers biggest increase in regular-season victories since 1962.
Tickets for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl go on sale to the public at Huskers.com beginning at 7 p.m. on Sunday evening. Nebraska will receive an allotment of 8,000 tickets to the game. Tickets are $85 each, with club seating available for $120 per ticket. Beginning Monday morning, tickets can also be purchased by calling the Nebraska Athletics Development and Ticketing at 1-800-8-BIG RED or in person at the ticket office in the Stadium Drive Parking Garage. Fans can purchase tickets by using VISA, MasterCard or Discover.
The meeting with Tennessee will mark the third-ever matchup between the Huskers and Vols, all in bowl games. Nebraska defeated Tennessee in the Orange Bowl following the 1997 season, to clinch a national championship. Two seasons later, Nebraska defeated Tennessee in the Fiesta Bowl to close a 12-1 season.
Tennessee will come into the game with an 8-4 record and is making its 52nd all-time bowl appearance which is tied for fourth in the nation. Tennessee spent much of the first half of the season in the top 10 in the national rankings. The Vols feature a high-powered offensive attack, averaging 36.2 points and 437.2 yards per game.
Coach Butch Jones is completing his fourth season at Tennessee and his 10th season overall as a college head coach. He has taken eight of his 10 teams to bowl games, and previously served as the head coach at Central Michigan (2007-09) and Cincinnati (2010-12).
— NU Athletics —