Ernest T. Jones will serve as the Interim Head Football Coach for the 2018 season.
Coach Jones served as the team's Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator. Before joining the Bears, Coach Jones was previously the Head Coach at ASA Miami, a two-year college. Prior to that he worked briefly as the running backs coach for UConn in 2014, following a three-year stint at Notre Dame that began in 2011 as the Fighting Irish's director of player development and engagement.
During 2010-11, Jones was associate head coach of the University of Buffalo football team. In addition to his title of associate head coach at Buffalo, Jones coached the Bulls' cornerbacks and served as recruiting coordinator. Jones' other head coaching experience came at Alcorn State in 2008.
In 2017, Coach Jones was named a finalist for AFCA Assistant Coach - FCS of the year. Through the first 6 games of the season, Jones' defense led the nation with 18 sacks, 50 tackles for loss, and was No. 1 in the nation for tackles for loss and No. 2 in nation for pass defense. He also mentored Malachi Washington (DE), Rico Kennedy (LB) and Carl Garnes (DB) to All-MEAC accolades.
In 2016, the Bears defense closed the season ranked T-No. 4 in the league with 24 sacks. The Bears also ranked No. 7 in rushing defense (190.8 ypg), No. 7 in pass defense (199.7 ypg), and No. 8 in interceptions (8). He also mentored Greg Gibson (LB), Jai Franklin (DL) and Carl Garnes (DB) to All-MEAC accolades.
Jones was previously the head coach at ASA Miami, a two-year college that started its first football season in 2015.
Jones’ tenure at ASA Miami came after working briefly as the running backs coach for UConn in 2014, and a three-year stint at Notre Dame that began in 2011. He served as Notre Dame’s as director of player development and engagement.
Jones was responsible for helping develop the Fighting Irish football players in three of the five core areas head coach Brian Kelly uses to develop complete student-athletes: intellectual development, social development and spiritual development. He also acted as a liaison between the football players and coaching staff plus served as primary contact between both the student welfare and development office and academic services for student-athletes department.
Jones was associate head coach of the University of Buffalo football team in 2010-11. In addition to his title of associate head coach at Buffalo, Jones coached the Bulls' cornerbacks and served as recruiting coordinator. He also oversaw the "Bulls in the Community" program, an initiative that encouraged Buffalo football players to be active in community service. In this capacity, Jones initiated and oversaw the football team's adoption of Jacob Ortel, a local pediatric cancer patient.
Jones served as director of player services at Cincinnati in 2009 (as a member of Kelly's staff), providing guidance and counseling to the Bearcats' football team. He worked with the academic services department regarding classroom performance and managed the "Cats in the Community" program.
From 2000-08, Jones was a college football coach, including one year as a head coach and three years coaching at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. He was Head Coach at Alcorn State in 2008 and was an assistant coach under Kelly from 2005-07. Jones coached the running backs at Cincinnati in 2007, the running backs at Central Michigan in 2006 and coached the Chippewas' cornerbacks in 2005.
Prior to joining Kelly's coaching staff, Jones served as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Oberlin in 2004. He coached the defensive backs and was recruiting coordinator at Kentucky State in 2003.
His first coaching job was at Concordia University (Minn.) where he worked with defensive backs from 2000-02.
Jones earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Alcorn State in 1995. He received a master's degree in human services from Concordia in 2002 and is currently working towards his doctorate degree in educational leadership from Walden University. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and he is a member of Prince Hall Masonary.
Jones and his wife, Kimberly, have two sons: Kgai (26) and Myles (11).
