Charles Jones

Charles Jones

Former SEC and NFL veteran Charles Jones enters his fifth season as the Rangers' defensive backs coach in 2024.

Last season, two of Jones' defensive backs (Keshawn Davila and Charles Thomas) combined for five of the Rangers' nine interceptions. Thomas and Fredd Adams also combined for 12 pass breakups (six apiece). Thomas signed with ULM following the 2023 season.

Jones' defensive backs were part of a nationally-ranked defense in 2022, finishing fifth in the nation with 17 interceptions and 10th nationally with 34 total sacks.

Jones first two seasons with the Rangers were highly successful as well, as the Rangers captured two MACCC titles and the 2020 National Community College Football championship. His defensive backs made up a Top 5 nationally-ranked defense and No. 1 in the MACCC for fewest yards allowed, limiting opponents to an average of 243.7 yards per game. Only 87.2 of those yards came on the ground and the Rangers averaged 59.2 tackles a game.

Specifically, his defensive backs were responsible for 39 pass breakups and 10 interceptions in 2021. Byron "Tank" Pearson led the way with nine breakups, while Delta State signee Jarvis Townsend collected five interceptions, including two in a victory against Jones College in the MACCC Semifinals. Pearson's nine PBU were third in the MACCC and tied for 12th in the nation, while Townsend's five picks were tied for first in the conference and fourth nationally.

Jones arrived at Northwest following a two-year stint as the cornerbacks coach at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level with Murray State University. Jones coached Nigel Walton, who led the Racers with a team-high 10 pass breakups last season. Walton, along with T.J. Warren, each garnered Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week accolades last season.

Prior to his stint with Murray State, Jones spent four seasons in the MACJC with East Central Community College, serving as the Warriors’ full-time safeties coach. Additionally, he also spent the 2013 season with ECCC as a graduate assistant.
     
During his full-time stint with the Warriors, Jones was part of a staff under Ken Karcher that turned East Central from a 3-6 record in 2014 to an 8-3 overall mark in 2015, earning an MACJC playoff bid and a victory over Kilgore (Texas) in the Heart of Texas Bowl.

Jones and the Warriors earned a second consecutive trip to the MACJC Playoffs as the South Division champions, but East Central fell 21-14 in the first round to Northwest.
     
He began his coaching career at the high school level at Bessemer City and Jackson-Olin high schools in the Birmingham metro area. In his final season with the Bessemer City Tigers, Jones helped turn the team around from a 2-8 record in 2011 to a 5-4 winning record in 2012.
     
Jones’ first coaching gig came as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State in 2008 under former coach Sylvester Croom.
     
Jones is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing. While at Alabama, he spent four seasons at safety with the Crimson Tide, becoming a starter during his final two seasons in Tuscaloosa.
     
In his junior season in 2002, Jones finished as one of the top tacklers on the Alabama defense, earning 85 total tackles and three interceptions. As a senior in 2003, he was selected as the team’s co-captain and earned 91 tackles with four interceptions, garnering All-SEC honors as a result.
     
He spent one season in the NFL with the New York Giants in 2004, which was followed by a two-year stint with the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League.
     
Jones is a native of Waynesboro, Ga. He and his wife, Monica, have been married for four years. The couple also have a stepson, T.J. (31).