A successful prep coach, Jones accepted the Indiana State job in the fall of 1957; he's currently 4th in ISU annuals for coaching wins, possesses the only conference title in 110+ seasons of Indiana State Univ football history and was a 3-time "Coach of the Year" in the Indiana Collegiate Conference.
He held degrees from Ohio Wesleyan (B.A.) and Indiana State (M.A.); he won conferences titles at Indiana State as well as Sullivan High.