Against Vandy, Jones shows leadership, talent
When South Carolina linebacker TJ Brunson graduated last season, there were no qualms about who would step up. There was no uncertainty about who the defensive captain would be, or who would call out adjustments at the line.
We knew it would be Ernest Jones and for the most part, that made fans comfortable. Last year, he wasn’t flashy but he was steady, finishing the year tied for fifth in the SEC with 40 run stops.
This year, Jones isn’t the No. 2 guy, he’s the guy. Through two games, he flashed a bit, but put up modest numbers against Tennessee and Florida.
Against Vanderbilt, however, Jones dominated. He was everywhere, finishing the game with 13 tackles, despite leaving early in the fourth quarter once the Gamecocks took a huge lead.
Jones added three tackles for loss and a key sack on a fourth and goal to that stat line, looking like the best player on the field all afternoon.
On a defense searching for consistency, Jones is an anchor. After allowing 31 and 38 points to Tennessee and Florida, respectively, the Gamecocks held a struggling Commodore offense to just seven points and 249 total yards.
Jones filled gaps and made seemingly every open field tackle, helping the Gamecocks hold the Commodores to just 76 rushing yards on 33 attempts. It’s the type of performance the South Carolina defense can build on moving forward.
Through two games, the Gamecock defense lacked identity. The pass rush has been excellent at times but non-existent at others and the secondary has been wildly inconsistent. Jones has been and should be the one constant for the defense.
He’s an anchor, a guy the rest of the defense can always trust to be in position. With the defense needing a strong performance, Jones delivered with the best game of his career.
If Jones continues to play well and the rest of the defense starts to step up, South Carolina has some very winnable games in the next few weeks. To pull off a few upsets, Jones will need to be spectacular.
If Saturday is any indication, Jones should have some huge games going forward.