Dale Jones, defensive coordinator
Dale Jones, a former All-SEC linebacker at Tennessee who has been an assistant coach at Appalachian State for 14 seasons, is settling in as new defensive coordinator.
By all accounts, the Mountaineers’ defense has performed well this spring.
Jones has tweaked some things, including abandoning the Bandit position and going with strong-side linebacker terminology in the 4-3 defense, and has plans to play some Cover 2 defense, with cornerbacks covering the run more and safeties playing deeper.
“We’re playing a little bit of hard Cover 2,” Jones said. “That’s something we haven’t done in the past against the run game. You’ll see them show up more. It’s been good for us, and it’s been good for those kids because we have big and physical corners.
“It fits us and it fits how I like to set up defenses.”
Jones also said that he is exploring a few other different ways to attack offenses this spring, and that a lot of things the Mountaineers will do on defense will be “easier on our kids.”
He said that he is seeing fewer mental mistakes from the defense as compared to last season.
“We’ve simplified what we’re doing up front,” Jones said. “And I think those guys are playing at a higher level. We will learn things to use for the future, but we are going with what we are good at right now.”
Jones said that he still draws from his playing days as a linebacker.
“A lot of times when I sit and watch film I see myself out there, and I consider what we are asking and telling our guys to do,” Jones said. “It’s an opportunity for me as a coach to play the game, but play it through the eyes of our kids. I try to evaluate how realistic and how simple it is. I don’t want it so complicated to where they have to do an overwhelming amount of thinking.”