SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Nevada quarterback Tyler Stewart learned a lesson on Saturday: Don’t throw a middle screen pass when Jarron Jones is on the field.
Jones, the 6-foot-5, 315 pound fifth-year Irish nose guard, read the Wolf Pack’s play well and intercepted Stewart’s soft toss before being dragged down at the Nevada four-yard line in the second quarter of Saturday's 39-10 Notre Dmae win. DeShone Kizer found Kevin Stepherson for a touchdown that put Notre Dame up by 18 after that pick.
“He came up to me — now he wants to play tight end,” coach Brian Kelly said with a joking roll of his eyes. “I knew it was going to happen immediately.”
All kidding aside, Jones showed on Saturday a certain ability he’s proven to his coaching staff over the last few years. Kelly said during scrimmage portions of practice, Notre Dame’s offense doesn’t throw screens when Jones is on the field.
“He sniffs out screens really well,” Kelly said. “He knows when a lineman is setting for a screen, is setting for a pass. He's got really good instincts. You do not want to mess with that guy with a middle screen.”
“He just has a knack and a sense, like he does on blocking extra points. We never run screens when Jones is in. We never run our middle screen. He just has a really good sense for it.”
Kelly alluded to it in the above quote, but Jones’ ability to block kicks is another trait that’s unique to him inside the confines of the Irish program. Jones had blocked five kicks in college: A PAT against Temple in 2013’s season opener, a BYU field goal later that season, PATs against Syracuse and UNC in 2014 and a PAT against Texas Sept. 4 that Shaun Crawford dashed back for a game-tying two-point score.
Last year, Jones said he felt guilty about Notre Dame’s two-point loss to Stanford given that 1) He thought he was healthy enough to suit up in that game after tearing his MCL in August, 2) He missed the trip because he was late to a meeting that week and 3) He figured he could’ve blocked Conrad Ukropina’s game-winning field goal.
Combining Jones with junior Daniel Cage — who put in strong performances against Texas and Nevada — gives Notre Dame what looks like a solid rotation at nose guard. And Jones’ additional talents in blocking kicks and sniffing out screens should come in handy this fall, too.
“I think I have great hands,” Jones said. “These hands aren't big for nothing. I know I can grab a ball.”