Keeping Up With Jones

It hasn’t taken long for Cal State Northridge football players and coaches to realize that Terrence Jones is something special.

As in special teams.

“I certainly enjoy watching him,” said Chazz Moore, a senior cornerback. “The other team can be right there on his heels and then before you know it, he separates. He makes it look easy.”

Flashy, too.

Jones, a senior transfer receiver from Fresno State, has found a niche with the Matadors. After three games, Jones twice has been selected Big Sky Conference special teams player of the week because of his breakaway ability on punt and kickoff returns.

“I just like to get the ball,” Jones said. “It’s always been that if I get the ball in my hands I’m going to do something with it.”

Jones, 5 feet 11 and 180 pounds, returns to work today at 3:05 p.m. when Northridge (1-2, 0-1 in conference play) hosts Idaho State in a Big Sky game at North Campus Stadium.

“He came in with a reputation as a guy with some magic to him as far as open-field running,” interim Coach Jeff Kearin said. “He brings an element of speed, combined with vision and ability to see a lane, that we’ve never had. We’ve had really, really fast people before who probably weren’t as football savvy as Terrence.”

Jones last week returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown against Eastern Washington, bolting down the left sideline for the first Northridge touchdown on a kickoff return since 1991.

By halftime, Jones had accounted for Northridge’s three touchdowns, scoring on passes of 59 and 47 yards from Marcus Brady. He finished with six catches for 138 yards.

On the 59-yard play, Jones caught a swing pass and broke loose. On the other score, Brady found Jones deep.

Either way, keeping up with Jones has proven difficult--even for teammates.

“I enjoy covering him in practice,” Moore said. “He has a quick, shifty [style] that makes it hard to stay with him. I guarantee he’ll get a few more [touchdowns] on kicks before the season is over.”

Jones starts at receiver and ranks third on the team with 10 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He is the team leader in punt and kick returns.

Jones began with a bang in the season-opener against Western Oregon, returning four punts for 85 yards, including one for 35 yards. He ranks third in the Big Sky in punt returns, averaging 12.1 yards.

That figure undoubtedly would be higher had Jones not collided with Moore while fielding a punt against Kansas. The play resulted in no gain.

Jones ranks eighth in the Big Sky and 21st in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 24.8 yards.

Jones, who attended Fontana High, returned to his roots by transferring to Northridge. Academically ineligible last season at Fresno State, he transferred to Division I-AA Northridge to be closer to his mother, who lives in West Covina and rarely was able to attend his college games.

“I really wanted to be closer to home,” he said. “And this place has been great. When I first got here, all the players were happy to have me. Within a week, I knew everybody.”

He also returned to the role of return specialist. Surprisingly, Jones, who had 17 catches in 1997, did not return kicks at Fresno State, or at Delta College in Stockton, where he played two seasons.

At Fontana, returning kicks was among Jones’ specialties.

“You know, it’s no one but you and the ball and the blocks,” Jones said. “It’s exciting. I like seeing everything on the field, the blocks developing. I like getting the ball in my hands and making a move, making something happen, making the crowd excited.”

Many happy returns will be in the past for Jones after this season. It is unlikely his career will continue, even by his own admission. His goal is to become a firefighter.

Quite fitting for Jones. He knows how to get somewhere in a hurry.

Idaho State (2-2, 0-2) vs. CS Northridge (1-2, 0-1)

When: Today, 3:05 p.m.

Where: North Campus Stadium

What: Big Sky Conference game

Fast fact: Idaho State kicker Pete Garces made a 60-yard field goal against Northridge last season and has 10 field goals of 50 yards or longer, one short of the Division I-AA record held by Kirk Roach of Western Carolina.