The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Football
Jones, John
John Jones
- Title:
- Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Ends
- Phone:
- 975-9536
Special Teams Coordinator John Jones has been given more responsibilities as Trent Dilfer named him UAB’s defensive ends coach on January 30, 2025. Jones will additionally keep his role as Special Teams Coordinator.
In his first year as the Special Teams Coordinator in 2024, Jones helped UAB improve 74 spots as the special team’s unit finished 35th nationally. Jones guided place kicker Jonah Delange to American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors, while punter Patrick Foley had the fourth highest single-season punt average in school history (43.66) and punt returner Kam Shanks led the nation in punt return average (20.6), yards (329) and touchdowns (2) en route to All-America honors.
Jones also assisted with the defensive ends in 2024 and helped develop Desmond Little into a First Team All-Conference player, leading to Jones’ promotion as the full-time defensive ends coach.
Jones is entering his third season as a member of Dilfer’s staff, and he is in his second stint at UAB after serving as a defensive graduate assistant in 2016 and 2017 during UAB’s return to the playing field.
Following his first stint with UAB, Jones was the Special Teams Coordinator for Thompson High School from 2018-2021. Jones’ helped guide Thompson to a dominant run, winning three-straight state titles in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Jones then joined former Blazer Jake Ganus at Moody High School in 2022 as the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator and helped that program set a school record in wins (10) and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
Jones is a native of Tarrant City, Ala., and earned his undergrad degree in Physical Education from Auburn University in 2012 and a Master’s in Physical Education from Auburn in 2013.
He and his wife, Sade, have three children, daughters Samantha and Remi and son Gatlin.
In his first year as the Special Teams Coordinator in 2024, Jones helped UAB improve 74 spots as the special team’s unit finished 35th nationally. Jones guided place kicker Jonah Delange to American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors, while punter Patrick Foley had the fourth highest single-season punt average in school history (43.66) and punt returner Kam Shanks led the nation in punt return average (20.6), yards (329) and touchdowns (2) en route to All-America honors.
Jones also assisted with the defensive ends in 2024 and helped develop Desmond Little into a First Team All-Conference player, leading to Jones’ promotion as the full-time defensive ends coach.
Jones is entering his third season as a member of Dilfer’s staff, and he is in his second stint at UAB after serving as a defensive graduate assistant in 2016 and 2017 during UAB’s return to the playing field.
Following his first stint with UAB, Jones was the Special Teams Coordinator for Thompson High School from 2018-2021. Jones’ helped guide Thompson to a dominant run, winning three-straight state titles in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Jones then joined former Blazer Jake Ganus at Moody High School in 2022 as the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator and helped that program set a school record in wins (10) and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
Jones is a native of Tarrant City, Ala., and earned his undergrad degree in Physical Education from Auburn University in 2012 and a Master’s in Physical Education from Auburn in 2013.
He and his wife, Sade, have three children, daughters Samantha and Remi and son Gatlin.
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