Jacquez Jones had almost 200 tackles in three seasons at Ole Miss. (Mississippi Athletics Photo)
Lane Kiffin understands there’s no reason to be bitter when a player transfers even if he stays in the Southeastern Conference like linebacker Jacquez Jones did with his move from Mississippi to Kentucky.
“It’s just the world we live in that free agency just happens. At least now there’s somewhat of a calendar being put around it, but it’s still … it happens. We wish him the best of luck,” the Ole Miss coach said during SEC Media Days.
“Everybody has their reasons and fans, and I don’t know if media does too, they all want to get mad at the kids. Or assistant coaches, ‘How can this kid leave?’ And I look at the assistant coach and say, ‘You’re the same guy who’s going to leave when you get a deal somewhere else.’ So I wish him the best of luck.”
The 6-0, 235-pound Jones is a proven playmaker who ranked among the top 20 tacklers in the SEC last season. Jones made the SEC all-freshman team and made 182 tackles while playing in 33 games with Ole Miss.
Jones was exactly what UK needed after Jamin Davis left school early for the NFL, D’Eryk Jackson suffered a season-ending injury in spring practice and Chris Oats remains out with the medical issue he had before the 2020 season started. Jones provides an experienced SEC playmaker at a huge position of need for Kentucky.
“It’s definitely an area where we got caught a little bit short, as I mentioned in the opening statement about having the opportunity to fill some holes,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. “He brings a player with a lot of experience and leadership, and we needed that at that position. So we’re excited to have him.”
Jones was coached at Ole Miss his freshman year but current UK linebackers coach Jon Sumrall. Kentucky had interest in Jones, a three-star prospect, in high school but the Alabama native picked Sumrall and Ole Miss over LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, and Mississippi State.
