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University of Minnesota Athletics
Future Gopher Q&A: Marcus Jones
3/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
GopherSports.com will be posting interviews with all the newest Gophers from the 2011 signing class throughout the remainder of the winter and spring. The next profile in the series is a conversation with wide receiver/athlete Marcus Jones of Wake Forest, N.C.
Jones enrolled at the University of Minnesota in January. He was ranked as the No. 73 cornerback in the nation by ESPN/Scouts Inc. and listed as the No. 169 cornerback prospect in the nation by Scout.com. Minnesota listed him as an athlete on Signing Day and it looks like he may start on the offensive side of the ball with the Gophers. Jones was a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN/Scouts Inc.
| Marcus Jones |
Marcus Jones: It definitely has sunk in already. I graduated high school early so I'm already here right now. Being here with the players and the coaches has been just a totally different feel from high school. It's a lot more serious and a lot more work but at the same time I'm just glad to be here.
GopherSports.com: Why did you decide to come early?
Marcus Jones: I wanted to come early to start getting work in with the team. I felt like it would be better for me to just go ahead and start working out in the winter and go through spring. That way, I would have a better chance of actually playing my freshman year. So I went ahead and made that decision, and I'm really glad that I made that decision so far. I came up here and I've pretty much already learned the new system we have and I'm enjoying myself.
GopherSports.com: What other schools had you been considering as well as Minnesota?
Marcus Jones: I was considering Northern Illinois, which is where Coach Kill was, Ball State, and Vanderbilt. I knew I liked Coach Kill when he was at Northern, so when he came to Minnesota it was kind of like 'I should go ahead and do this.'
GopherSports.com: What made you want to come to Minnesota? Was Coach Kill a big reason?
Marcus Jones: Coach Kill was definitely part of the reason. Another part is the tradition Minnesota has in the Big Ten; Traditionally Minnesota is a good football team in the Big Ten. I would feel honored if I could help the team restore that tradition.
GopherSports.com: When did you decide that you wanted to play Division 1 Football?
Marcus Jones: I made the commitment to play D-I a long time ago and I was blessed enough to get that opportunity to play. A lot of guys want to play in high school and they never get that chance. I continued to work hard and I got that opportunity.
GopherSports.com: What are some of your goals in your first season as a Golden Gopher?
Marcus Jones: I would like to play my first year and I would like to get a 3.5 GPA and that's pretty much it.
GopherSports.com: What are some of your long-term goals for your college career?
Marcus Jones: I would like to get a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. I would also like to play all four years as a Gopher.
GopherSports.com: What have you most enjoyed since you arrived in Minnesota?
Marcus Jones: The cold has probably been the thing I've enjoyed least about up here. I've actually really liked the people up here. Everyone up here is very nice and social, which is a little different than home. So I've really enjoyed the environment.
GopherSports.com: What is your favorite football memory?
Marcus Jones: I'd have to say this past season I helped lead my team to its first State High School Championship in school history, so that has to be my favorite football memory.
GopherSports.com: Is there anyone in particular that you've idolized throughout your football career? If so, who and why?
Marcus Jones: I wouldn't say idolized. I admire a couple players like Deion Sanders-type of players or Marshall Faulk ... the guys who play in the league for a long time who always work hard. A guy I really look up to is Maurice Jones-Drew, a player from UCLA and now plays for the Jaguars, because he's a shorter-type player and that's what I am. A lot of people say that shorter-type players won't get to play college football but we're the guys that do.
GopherSports.com: Any particular song you listen to before each game?
Marcus Jones: I had to listen to Power by Kanye West before every game.
GopherSports.com: Did you play any other sports along with football?
Marcus Jones: Yeah I played baseball and basketball.
GopherSports.com: Did you ever consider playing either of those sports in college?
Marcus Jones: I considered baseball for awhile. I kind of had an interest from some schools but I decided I wanted to focus on football my senior year, so I came on up here.
GopherSports.com: What is some of your favorite music to listen to?
Marcus Jones: I'm a Wale fan, I like Wale a lot. Mainly I like rap and hip hop.
GopherSports.com: What are your favorite movies? Or what movies have you seen recently that you really enjoyed?
Marcus Jones: I have to say I don't watch a lot of movies. I haven't even brought my TV up here yet.
GopherSports.com: Do you have any "must see" shows you watch every week?
Marcus Jones: When I do have a TV I like watching the show "House".
GopherSports: Do you have anything else you'd like to say to Gopher fans that are reading this?
Marcus Jones: I'm happy to be here and excited to be here and I'm excited to be a part of the Gopher family.
- Interview by Jennie Clark, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
