Football
- Title:
- Linebackers
- Email:
- jonesjg@wfu.edu
- Phone:
- 336-758-4685
Greg Jones is set to enter his first season as a defensive analyst in 2022 after he spent the past two years as Wake Forest’s linebackers coach.
Jones has been on the Demon Deacons staff since 2016. Jones came to Winston-Salem six years ago and has served in three other roles prior to his on-field coaching role in 2020 and 2021. He spent two years (2016-17) as a defensive graduate assistant, one season as an offensive analyst (2018) and another (2019) as the Deacs Director of Player Personnel / Recruiting.
This past fall in 2021, Jones helped head coach Dave Clawson lead the Deacs to a program-record tying 11-3 record, including a school-best 7-1 mark in ACC play. The linebackers group, led by two-time captain and 2021 All-ACC Honorable Mention performer Luke Masterson, helped Wake Forest force a Clawson-era record 29 turnovers (15 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries). The total is the most since 2008 when Wake Forest tallied 37 turnovers.
Additionally, Wake Forest tallied 38 sacks in 2021 to set another Clawson-era record. That mark sits second second in program history behind the Deacs 1992 squad (46). Meanwhile, Wake Forest’s 223 yardage lost by their 38 sacks was the school’s highest mark since at least 1996.
Individually, Jones tutored the Deacons two top-leading tacklers last fall with Masterson recording 85 total tackles and 13 tackles for loss. Meanwhile, Ryan Smenda, Jr. recorded 83 stops and had three forced fumbles.
In his first season coaching the linebackers in 2020, Jones led a group that included two of the team's top tacklers with Ja'Cquez Williams and Smenda recording a team-high 73 total tackles and six tackles-for-loss and 52 defensive stops and five TFLs, respectively. The duo capped off the year by combining for 27 tackles in Wake Forest's program record fifth-straight bowl appearance against Wisconsin in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
As a whole, Wake Forest's defense concluded the 2020 campaign as one of just seven FBS schools to post a +10 turnover margin.
Jones worked closely with current Duke head coach, Mike Elko, during his first year on the staff as they helped Wake Forest's defense rank in the top 40 nationally in total defense and 33rd in rushing defense (142.4 yards/game) in 2016.
Prior to coming to Winston-Salem, Jones coached Cornell's secondary for three seasons (2013-15) and spent the 2012 season as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Regarding his playing career at Bucknell, Jones was a two-year captain and collected 257 career tackles and was named team MVP in 2009 while he earned First Team All-Patriot League honors.
He resides in Winston-Salem with his wife, Jordan.
Wake Forest (2016-present)
- During his time in Winston-Salem, Jones has made a major impact on all facets of the Demon Deacons football program having worked as a defensive assistant coach (2020-present), defensive analyst (2016-17), offensive analyst (2018) and Director of Player Personnel / Recruiting (2019).
- This past fall in 2021, Jones helped head coach Dave Clawson lead the Deacs to a program-record tying 11-3 record, including a school-best 7-1 mark in ACC play.
- The linebackers group, led by two-time captain and 2021 All-ACC Honorable Mention performer Luke Masterson, helped Wake Forest force a Clawson-era record 29 turnovers (15 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries). The total is the most since 2008 when Wake Forest tallied 37 turnovers.
- Additionally, Wake Forest tallied 38 sacks in 2021 to set another Clawson-era record. That mark sits second second in program history behind the Deacs 1992 squad (46). Meanwhile, Wake Forest’s 223 yardage lost by their 38 sacks was the school’s highest mark since at least 1996.
- Individually, Jones tutored the Deacons two top-leading tacklers last fall with Masterson recording 85 total tackles and 13 tackles for loss. Meanwhile, Ryan Smenda, Jr. recorded 83 stops and had three forced fumbles.
- In his first season coaching the linebackers in 2020, Jones led a group that included two of the team's top tacklers with Ja'Cquez Williams and Smenda recording a team-high 73 total tackles and six tackles-for-loss and 52 defensive stops and five TFLs, respectively.
- The duo capped off the year by combining for 27 tackles in Wake Forest's program record fifth-straight bowl appearance against Wisconsin in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
- As a whole, Wake Forest's defense concluded the 2020 campaign as one of just seven FBS schools to post a +10 turnover margin.
- A rising star in the industry, Jones spent 2019 as the director of player personnel/recruiting for the Deacs.
- In the 247Sports era, signed the two highest rated recruits in Wake Forest history
- Prior to moving into his recruiting role, he spent the 2018 seasons as an offensive analyst.
- The Deacs ranked 28th in the country in total offense per game with an average of 449.8 yards per game, 26th in rushing offense with an average of 213.7 yards per game and 34th in scoring offense with 32.8 points per game
- Wide receiver Greg Dortch ranked seventh in the nation with 7.4 receptions per game, 20th with 89.8 receiving yards per game and 24th with 1,078 total receiving yards.
- In his first two seasons in Winston-Salem, Jones worked as a defensive graduate assistant
- In 2017, defensive back Essang Bassey ranked ninth in FBS and second in the ACC with 1.5 passes defended per game. On the defensive line, current Houston Texans draft pick Duke Ejiofor was 15th in the country and second in the ACC in tackles for loss
- During his first season as a defensive graduate assistant, Wake Forest ranked 23rd in FBS with 22.2 points allowed per game, 18th with a 34.1 third down defense percentage, 22nd with a 77.8 redzone defense percentage and 40th in total defense allowing 370.5 yards per game.
Cornell (2013-15)
- Over his tenure, Cornell moved from the eighth-ranked pass defense to the third-best pass defense in the Ivy League going from 275.5 passing yards allowed to 229.7 passing yards allowed, respectively.
- Helped groom safety Nick Gesualdi into an FCS All-American.
- In 2014, Gesualdi was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year with a league-high four interceptions, which also ranked 23rd in FCS.
- The Big Red defense led the Ivy League in takeaways in 2014.
- In his first season at Cornell, all-conference cornerback Michael Turner ranked third in the Ivy League with three interceptions.
- Before making the leap to the Division I, Jones spent the 2012 season as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at D-III Kenyon College.
- Helped Keyon’s defense rank second in its conference with 18.0 points allowed per game and 306.7 yards allowed per game, while he helped Lords to a six-game win increase.
- Jones was key in a breakout season for linebacker Kolin Sullivan.
- The junior, who went on to be a two-time All-American, finished fifth in the country with 74 solo tackles, 10th with 20 tackles for loss and 25th with 108 total tackles.
- Assisted with the coaching of special teams units for one season at Rhode Island.
- Began his coaching career as a linebackers coach at Wilkes University (PA) in 2010.
- While at Wilkes he mentored freshman linebacker Tate Moore who led the conference with 130 tackles going on to earn all-conference and all-region honors.
- Earned a bachelor's degree in history from Bucknell in 2010 and graduated magna cum laude. He also was named to the FCS Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team.
- Recorded 257 career tackles and earned All-Patriot League honors as a senior.
- During his senior campaign in 2009, Jones tallied a career-high 101 tackles, which ranked second in the Patriot League while tying for fourth in the league with three interceptions.
- Started 30 games in his career at Bucknell, which included all 11 as a senior in 2009. That season he was also named team MVP, the team's most outstanding linebacker and Bison's most inspirational player.
- Resides in Winston-Salem with his wife Jordan.
| Seasons | School/Team | Title/Position Coached |
| 2020-present | Wake Forest | Linebackers |
| 2019 | Wake Forest | Director of Player Personnel/Recruiting |
| 2018 | Wake Forest | Offensive Analyst |
| 2016-17 | Wake Forest | Defensive Graduate Assistant |
| 2013-15 | Cornell | Secondary |
| 2012 | Kenyon College (OH) | Defensive Coordinator/Secondary |
| 2011 | Rhode Island | Special Teams Assistant |
| 2010 | Wilkes University (PA) | Linebackers |
Postseason History
| Season | Bowl Game/Postseason | Opponent | Result |
| 2021 | TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Wake Forest) | Rutgers | W, 38-10 |
| 2020 | Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Wake Forest) | Wisconsin | L, 42-28 |
| 2019 | Pinstripe Bowl (Wake Forest) | Michigan State | L, 27-21 |
| 2018 | Birmingham Bowl (Wake Forest) | Memphis | W, 31-34 |
| 2017 | Belk Bowl (Wake Forest) | Texas A&M | W, 51-52 |
| 2016 | Military Bowl (Wake Forest) | Temple | W, 34-26 |
Personal Information:
- Education: 2010 -- Bachelor’s from Bucknell, 2017 -- Master’s from Wake Forest
- Wife: Jordan
