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HOWELL — Howell senior Justin Jones was weighing two offers to play college football at Division II schools when a dream opportunity arose late in the process.
Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor contacted him with an offer to play at the Division I level as a preferred walk-on after conversations with Howell head coach Brian Lewis and defensive coach Mitch Zajac.
“They really helped me out,” Jones said. “They went to a coach’s clinic and talked to coach Taylor and were able to connect me with him and he offered me.”
Jones had offers from Wayne State and Michigan Tech, Division II programs who play in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
“Everyone’s dream is to go play Division I football,” Jones said. “When it came across, it was kind of hard to refuse.”
RELATED: Howell’s Justin Jones Livingston County’s Offensive Player of the Year
Jones gave up the security of a guaranteed scholarship for a chance to earn one down the road at Western. To Jones, it wasn’t much of a gamble.
Howell’s Justin Jones, who set a Livingston County record with 32 touchdowns, has committed to play for Western Michigan University.
“I believe in myself to be able to go earn a scholarship,” he said. “I didn’t really see it as much of a risk as it is just a challenge.”
Jones wasn’t on the radar of college programs heading into his senior year because he spends summers playing baseball, not doing the college football camp circuit.
He gained notice during a season in which he scored 32 touchdowns to break the Livingston County record of 27 set by Brighton’s Shane Dokey in 2011. His 1,735 rushing yards broke the Howell record of 1,589 set in 1976 by former first-round Major League Baseball draft pick David Hibner.
“I never went to any camps,” said Jones, who will start out on special teams and work…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/record-breaking-back-justin-jones-160647452.html
Author : Livingston Daily | Daily Press & Argus
Publish date : 2025-01-31 16:06:00
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