Bullis back squashing his doubters

Kevin Jones attacked like a man seeking vengeance, a reckless vigor pumping through his bloodstream. Carry after carry, punishing run after punishing run, the junior running back from Bullis High racked up yards at a dizzying pace.

And he never once looked back. He ran right over the cynics, the nonbelievers -- the coaches who said he wasn't tall enough, fast enough or skilled enough to be a starting running back.

"I had something to prove last year," said the 5-foot-7, 170-pound Jones. "I came into Bullis with the mindset that I was going to dominate. I laid it all out on the line."

Jones, who transferred from Archbishop Carroll High in D.C. last year, rushed for more yards then all but a handful of runners in Maryland. In 10 games, he piled up 1,648 yards and 20 touchdowns and averaged over 6.0 yards per carry.

"He came in and just made things happen," said Bullis coach Pat Cilento. "We were lucky to have him."

Cilento can thank Carroll for the gift. Jones spent his first two seasons at the D.C. private school, but he never found his niche. Unfounded or not, he believed the coaching staff showed favoritism towards the scholarship players, who came over with their new regime. Jones, who was not on scholarship, insists he out-worked the other 'backs. But his labor bore no fruit.

"I didn't get a chance to shine," Jones said.

That said, Jones admits he didn't always take advantage of the opportunities he did receive. In his sophomore year, his first on varsity, Jones received a good number of touches (around 100), but he averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry.

"I just didn't make it happen when I got the ball," he said. "I was frustrated. I felt I needed a fresh start."

Cilento, who was also seeking a fresh start, was willing to give him a chance. Cilento had coached at Sherwood High the previous year, but he left late in the spring due to monetary issues.

The coach quickly found a job at Bullis, but with summer workouts right around the corner he didn't have much time to get acclimated. Recruiting was out of the question that late in the offseason. Thus, anyone who showed the slightest football acumen was welcome on the team.

Cilento never expected to have a superstar, but when he heard some kid from Carroll wanted to play at Bullis, his ears perked up.

"You see, when I was at Sherwood we got Cyrus Britt to come over from Carroll, and all he did was go on to be an All-County runner," Cilento said. "So when I heard another Carroll running back was coming, I thought maybe he could do the same thing."

He thought right. The new Bullis 'back went on to earn Honorable Mention All-State honors, despite having to learn an entirely new offense while basically carrying the team on his back. Jones' performance was a key reason why Bullis went from four wins total in the last three years to six victories in 2010.

"You could see the difference in our team from before Kevin got here to after he did," said senior guard John Kelly. "He changed our whole mindset, and he had us believing we could win."

Jones began working his magic almost immediately. In Bullis' first preseason scrimmage, against Churchill, he showed a few moves that were downright Brittesque. On one run he went off-tackle, made two defenders miss and busted free for a 50-yard touchdown.

"He really opened some eyes," Cilento said. "His best asset was his vision and moves. He wasn't going to buzz by you with his [40-yard-dash] speed, but he still had seven or eight runs of 50-plus yards. When it counted, he beat you."

Perhaps accidentally, Cilento left out "toughness." Which is understandable. It's not often that a 5-7 pipsqueak is given the most endearing label a football player can earn.

But Jones is the epitome of tough -- he's built with a foundation as sturdy as asphalt.

Consider this: He carried the ball 26 times per game last year, which might have been more than any other 'back in the state. Twenty-six times a game he went head first into the heart of the line. Twenty-six times a game he churned, burned and chipped away at the defense.

"It was more mental then anything," Jones said. "When you get into the rhythm of the game and you know your teammates are out there counting on you, well, you just can't get tired. You don't have a choice."

Against Bishop Ireton in Week 5 Jones carried the ball a mind-numbing 44 times for 231 yards. A week later, against St. Stephen's/St. Agnes, he got it 36 times.

Now, most 'backs -- especially high school 'backs -- would be due for a steep drop-off one week after a 44-carry game. Jones? He tallied almost 300 yards of offense and scored five touchdowns.

"St. Stephen's did everything they could -- they put their best defender on him all game," Cilento said. "It didn't matter."

The game itself was close throughout, and Bullis was clinging to a three-point edge late in the fourth quarter. Jones had already carried the ball over 30 times and scored four touchdowns.

Needless to say, his legs were heavy and his body was bruised. Not to mention he started to feel the effects of an earlier blow to the head.

"The trainer looked at me and said I shouldn't go back in," Jones said. "I knew the risk, but I saw my teammates' faces looking at me. I said, 'Man, I just can't quit.'"

Two plays later, Jones broke free for a 45-yard game-icing touchdown.

Considering the latest concussion studies, Jones' decision to re-enter the game wasn't smart. But in a sport where toughness and courage is defined by the one's pain threshold, Jones was revered.

"He got absolutely popped in that St. Stephen's game and he didn't even come out for a play," Kelly said. "He'd take a beating and then get right back up. That just shows you what kind of a guy he is. He won't let us down."

Jones' actions spoke loud enough, but he's been known to exercise his vocal cords nonetheless. He'll take charge in the huddle, correct his teammates in practice and rally them before or during a game.

In Week 9, which also happened to be Senior Night, Bullis trailed 6-0 to Episcopal in a gritty, defensive struggle. As the game moved into the final frame, Jones gathered his teammates and delivered his best Ray Lewis impersonation.

"I told the guys, 'There's no possible way we're losing this game,'" Jones said. "'There's no way the seniors are going out with a loss.'"

Jones proceeded to grunt and grind his way downfield. Then, with the ball at the Episcopal 1-yard line, he bulled in for the game-winning touchdown. Final score: Bullis 7, Episcopal 6.

"He plays with a lot of energy, and he's not afraid to get in your face if you're not going hard," Kelly said. "We feed off his emotion."

Leadership, toughness and energy are all admirable qualities, but where will it lead? What will all the youthful exuberance, the kamikaze running, the 30-carry games and the game-winning touchdowns mean for Kevin Jones?

His stated goal is to play Division-I college football, but recruiters aren't known to put much stock in intangibles. The fact of the matter is Jones is still a lithe, 5-7 running back with average speed.

"I'm not about to put Kevin in Crusoe Gongbay's (New Mexico) category or anything like that," Cilento said. "I know what the recruiters are looking for, and he probably needs to be more explosive to catch their eye. It's all about speed, speed, speed."

Jones, who is running track to improve, chuckles when he hears this. It's the same junk he got from Carroll.

"That's fine," Jones said. "I've had doubters my whole career. I'll show [the recruiters] something they haven't seen before."