By Heath Bradley.

Linebacker Kellen Jones decided to follow Brent Venables and transfer from Oklahoma following the 2011 season. Jones relationship with Venables played a large role in him becoming a Clemson Tiger.

“Coach Venables and I throughout my year there (Oklahoma) developed a really good bond, he really earned my trust. I have faith in him; he is a man of his word. He said he really liked my skills and he has good intentions for me in the future. Overall, him as a person, on and off the field, I love the guy,” said Venables.

This relationship, as well as the relationships Jones built on his visit to Clemson made deciding to make the move to Tigertown an easy one for Jones. “I came here on my visit to Coach Swinney, he is a great guy. I was watching him my senior year of high school and said he would be a great guy to play for, turns out that was true. I came on my visit here, I loved everyone, including Coach Batson, and we had a great bond as well. Overall, they gave me a great impression, I felt this was a great place for me.” Like for many other recruits and players, Clemson and this current staff and players had that special something that Jones wanted to be a part of.

While Jones will have to redshirt the 2012 season due to NCAA rules, he is still working hard everyday to become a better player, but more importantly to help his teammates. “I have always been taught to work hard, work ethic is the main thing. Plus you always want to do whatever it takes to make your team better.” Jones understands that he will not be able to make an impact on the field this season for Clemson, but what he does off the field and in the meeting room, can help his teammates make an impact. “I just want to do what is best for the team. I am not concerned for myself. I wan to do what is best for the team, to make us better.” Currently, this means doing whatever is asked of him by the coaches on a daily basis. “Coach has me on kickoff for tomorrow’s scrimmage. I am just trying to compete and get better. For next year, if he has me on special teams, I am going to help out and try and help the team win.”

Jones plays middle linebacker, however, the true team player he is, and he has began to learn how to play one of the outside linebacker positions as well. “I play MIKE linebacker, I am working on playing WILL as well. Coach Venables mainly has me playing MIKE, but he wants me to learn both positions.” According to coaches and others who have seen the Tigers practice and scrimmage this fall, Jones is a playmaker, a playmaker that the coaching staff will find a way to get on the field in 2013.

Until 2013, Jones knows one other way he can help his teammates to win. As a player who spent one year under Venables at Oklahoma, Jones has a deeper grasp of the new defensive scheme Coach Venables has brought to Clemson. This knowledge and understanding has allowed Jones to help his teammates on the practice field and in the meeting room, to better understand what Venables is looking for from his linebackers.

“I know Coach Venables has different terminology, it took me a while to get used to it my freshman year. I know some things that if some guys do not understand I can go and help them out a little bit,” said Venables.