As a freshman at
Notre Dame, Jones saw no playing time behind senior
Brady Quinn, but was twice selected by his teammates as the "show team player of the week" as he ran the opposing teams' offenses in practice. While competing to become the starting quarterback in the spring of 2007, Jones was commended by coach
Charlie Weis for having "made the most plays," and in the final week of fall practice he was awarded the position. Initially, the Notre Dame athletic department refused to release Jones from his scholarship. However, they later permitted him to speak with
Cincinnati head coach
Brian Kelly, leading to Jones's subsequent transfer to the Bearcats. After sitting out the remainder of 2007 at Cincinnati due to NCAA regulations, Jones was unable to unseat the Bearcats' starting quarterback
Tony Pike and opted instead to play the
middle linebacker position. In two years as a reserve, he recorded 36 tackles and an interception. Then in 2010, with the departure of
Brian Kelly (who, coincidentally, accepted the head coaching position at Notre Dame), Jones decided to transfer yet again. Jones then enrolled at
Central State University in Ohio, a
Division II school that is part of the
Great Lakes Valley Conference, where he played as a wide receiver and tight end. In his first six games for the Marauders, he recorded 41 receptions for 410 yards and two touchdowns, and also completed 14 of 23 passes for 178 yards. Jones planned to petition for another year of eligibility after he was not invited to the
NFL Scouting Combine in February 2011. ==Professional career==