Too Fast?
July 23, 2003 02:12 PM | General
July 23, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Believe it or not, West Virginia sophomore cornerback Adam “Pac-Man” Jones is afraid he might actually be getting too fast.
Jones says he’s done so well in new strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis’ summer workouts that he’s afraid to run full speed.
“Sometimes I’m so scared in speed drills because I’m going so fast that I’m afraid I’m going to pull something,” Jones said recently.
He isn’t pulling your leg, either.
“I feel so explosive and powerful now,” he admitted. “I came in as a freshman thinking I was strong but now that Mike Barwis is our strength coach I’ve become so much stronger.”
For Jones, the proof is in the numbers. He says he has trimmed his forty yard dash time from 4.41 as a freshman last year to his current speed of 4.31. He came in able to bench press 225 pounds just two or three times. Now he can do it 10 times. He never performed a squat or a hang clean and now does both with ease.
“I never did a hang-cling in my life and now I can do 265,” he says proudly.
A typical summer day for Jones starts at 9 a.m. when he gets up and showers. Then he’s off to his 10 a.m. class before making a quick stop at Coach Garrett Ford’s office in the Coliseum for a 20-minute visit.
After lunch, Jones heads to the Puskar Center by 1 p.m. to hang out before workouts begin at 3 p.m.
“We don’t have to be over there until three but most of us are already there by one o’clock,” he said. “It feels better when you spend a little bit more time with your teammates. We might go in and do a little arm work – nothing major – but just something to make sure that everyone is on the same page.”
On page 77 of West Virginia’s 2003 football press guide, Adam Jones’ biography states that he was considered one of the top high school players in the Atlanta area after a superb four-year career at Westlake High School.
He totaled 1,850 yards rushing as a running back and made 120 tackles with six interceptions as a defensive back. Jones made the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Class 4A all-state team and was picked to play in the Florida-Georgia football all-star game.
Jones made official campus visits to Miami, Duke, North Carolina State, West Virginia and Georgia Tech before whittling his choice down to two schools – hometown Georgia Tech and West Virginia.
“My mom didn’t want me to stay in the city,” he said.
So Jones opted for the scenic mountains of West Virginia -- not fully realizing how up close and personal he would come to appreciate them.
“Law School Hill ...,” he began. “If you’ve ever been there I bet if you just walk one of them you’d be tired. I have never seen hills that big. That hill is serious.”
Jones was first introduced to Law School Hill as a true freshman last year, having run it as many as seven times during one workout. The first time this summer, Barwis made the team run the hill 10 times.
Jones was one of the few players able to refrain from vomiting – that is until his last trek down the slope. “I was running down and it just came up,” he laughed. “Mike was like ‘I got you.’”
Adam is putting forth great effort this summer in the hopes of getting extended playing time in WVU’s secondary this year. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound sophomore saw moderate action last year as a true freshman, making one start at safety against East Carolina. All told, Jones was in on 36 tackles, one interception, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble in 11 games.
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| An already fast Adam "Pac-Man" Jones has gotten even faster this summer. (Pete Emerson photo) |
His most productive day came against No. 1-ranked Miami when he recorded six tackles and forced a fumble. His lone interception came at Temple.
This fall Jones expects to be one of the starters out on the field when West Virginia entertains nationally ranked Wisconsin on August 30th. Jones, who watches game tape at least twice a week, says playing the Badgers will be a great challenge.
“They have one of the best receiving corps that we will play against this year,” he said. “They’re very explosive.”
Jones remembers how Wisconsin hurt West Virginia with play action passing last year and he knows the tandem of Jonathan Orr and Lee Evans will present great match up problems.
Yet at the same time he says he’s up to the task.
“I’m breaking down that seam route mentally every day,” he said. “I’m ready to play. I’m a competitor. If you know anything about Adam Jones it’s that I want to compete and have fun.”
Fun for Jones carries over into the locker room, too. Jones is considered one of the team’s leading pranksters.
“I’m joking with everyone,” he said. “If you ever go into our locker room, you’ll either hear me, Grant Wiley or Leandre Washington on somebody.”
Jones’ favorite target is junior linebacker Mo Howard.
“Mo’s my boy – I love getting on him,” said Jones.
Jones also makes it a point to remind wide receiver Aaron Neal that he can’t dance likes he thinks he can. “He’s got this little dance he does,” says Jones, shaking his head.
After spending a week back home, Jones says he will be back in Morgantown right before the start of fall camp to get mentally focused for the season.
“I’m ready,” he said. “And as a team we’re going to be ready, too.”
