Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

While a performance like that of Jemison’s RaeQuane Jones in last week’s 35-14 win over Holtville—18.5 tackles, three of which were for a loss, and a blocked punt—might seem exceptional, coach Jake Hogan wasn’t surprised.

“That’s Mr. Consistency right there,” Hogan said about Jones, who after five games has compiled 75 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. “He’s just got a nose for the football. He’s always around it.”

Jones moved from outside linebacker to middle linebacker this year. His speed makes him a more natural fit for the outside—and at 6-feet and 175 pounds Jones is somewhat undersized for the middle—but Hogan said he decided the team would benefit from having their best linebacker in the middle.

Jones compensates for any shortcomings with his toughness and preparation.

“Every sprint we do, every drill…he does everything full speed,” Hogan said. “I’m not sure you could have a better practice player. He’s a good kid as well as football player. As a coach, we want to rely on people like that.”

Jones is a sure tackler and provides an example for his teammates of buying into the coaching staff’s belief in the benefit of having each defender on the field swarm to the football.

“We want to control the run, and I think they’ve bought into that,” Hogan said. “We want to see all 11 guys in the picture when we’re watching film. [Jones] epitomizes all of that.

“He’s one of those guys who doesn’t say a whole lot, but as soon as he does, everybody becomes dead silent.”

—

Honorable mention

Darius Davis, Thorsby

•Rushed for 139 yards and one touchdown in one half of play during a 42-36 loss to Horseshoe Bend.