Former SMU AC Phil Jones - First Ever HC at Shorter College

[MrMustang1965]

When Jones took the job last fall, he promised to build the program with players from the northern part of the state.

"We want to make no mistakes in evaluating and trying to recruit players in this area," Jones told the Rome News-Tribune. "It's important to make this a family situation. Local players being a part of our team will help give people the feeling like it's their program."

Jones, Blair and the rest of the Hawks will be part of the Mid-South Conference, which is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Shorter College received unanimous approval to become a member of the league last August and their admission to the conference as a football-only member will give the Mid-South 12 schools for the 2005 season.

With Shorter's arrival, the league will be split into two six-team divisions, with Shorter playing in the Eastern Division with Cumberland (Ky.) College, Pikeville (Ky.), Union (Ky.) College, the University of Virginia at Wise and Georgetown (Ky.) College, which won the NAIA national championship in 2000 and '01.

The Western Division teams include Belhaven (Miss.), Bethel (Tenn.), Campbellsville (Ky.), Cumberland (Tenn.) University, Lambuth (Tenn.) and Kentucky Wesleyan.

Jones comes to Shorter after spending the past two years at Gardner-Webb University, a NCAA D-IAA school in North Carolina.

While at Gardner-Webb, Jones served as the assistant head coach, working with the receivers and special teams. While at school, the Bulldogs won back-to-back Big South Conference Championships. Prior to Gardner-Webb, Jones was an assistant coach for one year with Southern Methodist University and coached under Jim Donnan at the University of Georgia from 1997 to 2001.

Before coaching at Jones spent 29 years coaching high school around the state. During his high school career, Jones' teams had a combined record of 160-95-5.

Jones was the head football coach at Winder-Barrow High School from 1984-1997, leading the Bulldoggs to a record of 81-58-2 and eight state playoffs appearances. In 1993, Winder-Barrow made it to the Class AAA semifinals and Jones was named the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Class AAA Coach of the Year in 1993.

"Phil Jones was one of the most universally respected and successful high school coaches in the state of Georgia who later became an outstanding college assistant as well," said former Georgia football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley. "He's also a quality person and I think is a great choice to start the program at Shorter."

Jones and the Hawks will open the 2005 season against Webber International at Barron Stadium in Rome.

[MustangSally]

With a name like that, he is sure to be a success.

I am also Phil Jones, and my sophomore year at SMU, I was constantly getting this guy's mail in my PO box. It took me a while to figure out why Vince Dooley kept sending me letters.

Where the heck is Shorter College?

[MrMustang1965]

Shorter College is a four-year, Southern Baptist affiliated, liberal arts college located in Rome, Georgia. They will play as an NAIA member.

[Corso]

With a name like that, he is sure to be a success.

I am also Phil Jones, and my sophomore year at SMU, I was constantly getting this guy's mail in my PO box. It took me a while to figure out why Vince Dooley kept sending me letters.

Where the heck is Shorter College?

Did Dooley send you anything interesting?