Pat Elflein smiled on the awards circuit.
Billy Price gushed as he discussed his future tree in Buckeye Grove.
Jamarco Jones, well, he had a bit of a different reaction to the accolades he earned this season.
“I was sleeping when it all came out so I woke up to like a bunch of calls and stuff and I didn’t know what was happening. I was a little worried,” Jones joked Thursday at Ohio State’s on-campus media day for the Fiesta Bowl. “My mom had called me like 10 times, but it was pretty exciting just to get recognized for that.”
Jones was named a second-team all-Big Ten offensive linemen by both the coaches and media for his efforts this season — his first as the Buckeyes’ starting left tackle. His reaction, sleeping, was rather subdued, but perhaps it should have been expected. After all, Jones was somewhat slept on all season despite having a great year for Ohio State in place of an All-American and first-round draft pick, Taylor Decker.
Nobody really noticed Jones, and as an offensive lineman, that’s probably a good thing.
“The only time linemen get noticed is if you’re getting beat so I don’t mind too much,” Jones joked. “It’s just an honor to be considered one of the best linemen in the Big Ten.”
Ohio State LT Jamarco Jones finished season with a 97.4% pass block rate. Lions 1st-rd pick Taylor Decker had a 96.4% rate for OSU in 2015.
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) November 29, 2016
His teammates and coaches agreed.
“[Jones] probably plays one of the harder positions on the field,” Price said. “There’s a lot of expectations. You had Jack Mewhort and Taylor Decker, some pretty big names to follow in those footsteps, but I wouldn’t really worry so much about recognition or awards because if your name isn’t really called much you’re doing your job.”
“He’s played very solid, he’s been a solid player and we always thought he would be,” co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner added. “It’s his first year starting. He is very consistent and that’s what you want. If you know what you’ll get out of your guys and they are consistent, that helps you formulate game plans, call plays and move the football.”
The truth is, Jones was ready to start for the Buckeyes last season. His teammates and coaches said as much. Jones says the same thing.
But Ohio State returned four starters on its offensive line from a team that won the national championship. The only non-returning starter was Chase Farris at right tackle and he was a fifth-year senior.
So, despite feeling ready, Jones had to wait another year.
“As a competitor, you want to get out there and play, but it wasn’t my time yet,” Jones said. “I took the time to learn more from Taylor, Chase and the rest of those guys. Learn leadership characteristics and things like that. It was still a great learning experience, playing behind those guys.”
It’s paying off now and in a big way.
Jones says he’s more confident now than he was back in Week 1 as he prepared for his first career start. Since that day, he’s been a wall protecting the blindside of quarterback J.T. Barrett. And if the Buckeyes are going to beat Clemson, Jones and the rest of Ohio State’s offensive line are going to play their best game of the season.
“I was way more excited and jittery, I would say, going into the first game since it was my first start in the Shoe and those types of things,” Jones said. “Now, I’ve got a couple games under my belt and I know how to prepare for a game since I’ve done it a couple times now.”
“It’s definitely more comforting later in the season.”
So comforting, in fact, that more naps — and accolades — may be in the near future.
