Back in January, when Miles Jones committed to the Huskers, he was sold as being Nebraska’s version of Otis Anderson from Scott Frost’s time at UCF; the type of player that can do a little bit of everything on the field for Frost’s high-powered offense. In high school, Jones was prolific during his senior season racking up 1,831 total yards and 16 touchdowns.
Until Saturday, however, Jones had only cracked the two-deep, he had yet to see the field. That changed during the Huskers' 45-9 win over Bethune-Cookman.
"I was ready," Jones said. "I wasn't nervous. I was happy just to get in front of 90,000 and show what I could do for the first time. I was hyped up, man."
Jones said that it was good to get a little bit of experience and get his feet wet to see how he’ll perform next year. Like most players, he hoped to get on the field sooner but a shoulder injury in fall camp slowed him down. He has found some benefits in sitting back and learning.
“It’s been good watching other guys play and see how it’s done the Nebraska way. Watching behind JD [Spielman] and all the other players at my position has been good experience for me," Jones said. "It’s helpful to get a little bit of film during my freshman year before I redshirt. That always helps going into my sophomore year.”
Jones was able to put some good play on tape. He had a nice 21-yard reception where he displayed some of that burst I saw on his high school film. On the very next play he took the top off the defense and was wide open. However, Noah Vedral was late seeing him and the ball was under thrown. Had that pass not fallen incomplete, Jones would have had one of the stand-out plays of the day.
“It was a little short but I was hoping it’d get to me”, Jones said of the pass. “It is what it is. I was open though.”
Jones says that he moves around between running back and wide receiver during the week but most of his time is with wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator Troy Walters. He knows that despite the slow start, better days are ahead for the program and that’s what makes things fun.
“In the future we are going to be good," Jones said, "we just keep pushing ahead.”
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
