It's not unusual for a surprise star to show up for teams in the program's spring game. Rosters are smaller, more players get opportunities, and the schemes remain relatively basic. For Virginia in April, running back Perris Jones found the spotlight in that setting.

A walk-on that appeared mostly on special teams during his career, Jones opened the second of the Blue-White Spring Game with a 75-yard touchdown run.

While such moments in the spring occur, it's less common for the surprise stars to extend the moment into the next season. Jones, however, has done exactly that. He said his success in the final spring scrimmage gave him a confidence boost and he's stayed locked in this fall.

"It definitely did," Jones said. "I've always known I was capable of doing things like that. I wanted to come out and do the best I could. Hitting the home run was obviously nice, but the O-Line did a great job and made it easy for me so all I had to do was run."

Jones has spent the majority of the preseason at the top of the depth chart for the Virginia running backs and the coaches have said he would be the starter for the opener if camp ended on the day of the question. So it seems likely that he will get the nod against Richmond on Sept. 3. Regardless of who starts game one, however, a committee approach is currently what's expected to unfold. Jones will be a part of the rotation at the start of the season for sure.

That's because the coaches have been impressed by the Alexandria native. Virginia coach Tony Elliott listed him as one of the preseason's pleasant surprises.

"Perris is another one that's really exceeded some of my expectations," Elliott said. "I knew that he was a guy that had a good feel for the outside zone. The questions I had was how tough is he going to be, is he going to put his foot in the ground and stick it up [inside] and he's shown that so far."

With the Cavalier coaches emphasizing specific principles and how players approach practice and their roles, Jones has capitalized. Running backs coach Keith Gaither said Jones has been the "most consistent" player in the group. Combine that with an acute attention to details and it's a pathway to playing time.

Jones said he's always been someone that focuses on the small things and doing tasks correctly.

"My dad, he's a military guy so he kind of raised me that way," Jones said. "Tooth and nail, brushing the shoes, all of that so I take with me in every area of life and try to make sure I work on the small things. Through small things great things are achieved."

At 5'8" and 180 pounds, Jones is not the most imposing figure on the field. He does have versatility, though.

As Elliott noted, he flashed his ability on perimeter runs early and he's showing a willingness to be tough on interior carries as well. Of course with an inexperienced offensive line and a dynamic passing game, the Cavaliers may need to add to the running game with a short passing attack. That's somewhere that Jones can add value as well.

"I love running routes," Jones said. "My father was actually a receiver so I spent a lot of time learning the route tree and working on my hands. So it's definitely nice to catch the ball out of the backfield a couple of times."

Virginia Starters On Special Teams

Jones made his initial mark at UVA on special teams and in particular the coverage units. If he does end up being the starter at running back, he won't be ruled out for those jobs.

Elliott said that special teams play a large role in the outcome of games and he wants the best option on the field, regardless of whether that player happens to be an offensive or defensive starter. With 35 to 45 snaps for coverage and return units and the potential for big plays at any moment, coaches want players out there that can execute in open space.

"I want the best players out there that give us the best chance to be successful," Elliott said. "I would rather rest guys on offense and defense than rest guys on special teams, just to create that mindset. I would like for our young depth to be able to work themselves into the rotation so you have some depth because long term over the course of a season, those reps add up."

Gaither, who serves as the special teams coordinator, did not hesitate when asked if starters would be considered for special teams. He pointed to players like Nick Jackson and Kam Butler as examples of likely starters that could be major factors on special teams. The main reason? Reliability. Gaither wants coverage units that can be disciplined and tackle. He wants return units that can stay focused and not fall for a fake as well as consistently take possession of the ball.

"There's certain units that take priority, such things like punt and kickoff [coverage] where you'll see a number of starters, it's mostly starters," Gaither said. "As you grow your other units, you try to get other guys some opportunities to try to relieve some starters, but we're going to use our starters. You look at our linebacker room, they're as good as anybody in the country. Josh Ahern, Nick Jackson, James Jackson - they can play football. They're three unit special teams guys. They're good football players, they're smart, and they're reliable guys."

Three Things To Look Forward To On Defense

The Sabre has revived its video media coverage this spring with exclusive interviews (for Carla Williams, click here) and the Five Minute Friday series. There are also video reels on our Instagram account.

Here’s one on the UVA defense:


 


 


 

 



 

 


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