Kansas football interim HC Emmett Jones is showing what leadership looks like

With the Kansas football program in flux due to the recent firing of head coach Les Miles and Athletic Director Jeff Long, the team and fanbase need leadership that they’ve never seen before. They may have found that with Emmett Jones.

The interim head football coach recently went on “The Jayhawker Podcast” with host Wayne Simien and discussed his thoughts on how he plans to turn around this Kansas program.

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“You have to be able to instill confidence. That’s the first thing I wanted to do with those guys that were in my room my first year here at the University of Kansas. I wanted to instill belief, trust, and I wanted to instill confidence.”

Confidence is certainly something this team needs, with a fanbase that is desperate for wins and desperate for a coach who can provide them. The Jayhawks’ last winning season came in 2008 when they finished 8-5. But if the players see confidence in their coach, that may help them see it in themselves.

A common theme of the interview and an encouraging sign of Jones’ capabilities as head coach and as a leader was how he emphasized putting players first. He talked about his past coaching stops and how he gets players to buy into his system by truly investing in them as people.

“I wanted to make sure that I had guys with me that understood my thought process when it comes to getting a program at its highest level. And that thought process was being a genuine person and investing as much as possible in the kids that are in the building. And showing true love, not just football love, not just sports love – I mean showing true love to get true buy-in.”

He goes on to mention how he wants to build upon the foundation that has been laid the past two years by stacking good recruiting classes on top of good recruiting classes and attracting players who want to be here. According to Jones, that starts with changing the perception of Kansas football.

“From the outside looking in you have to be able to show the direction you’re going. You have to be able to attract guys that you want to come into this program that is going to help you fight for the Big 12 title and that all starts with the perception that you are showing to everybody looking in.”

ALSO READ: Emmett Jones is a safe call for interim head coach at Kansas

Jones sounds like a hungry coach. Hungry to prove his worth as a head coach, hungry to develop the players in this program, and hungry to prove this team can compete with anybody.

“I’m built off grinding,” Jones said. “I’m built off overcoming obstacles.”
That type of work ethic and mindset is exactly what this team needs to reach its full potential.

As a coach at Texas Tech visiting Lawrence, Jones said, “I can remember looking around and saying…this place is a sleeping giant. If the right person takes control of this place, this is a sleeping giant.”

After listening to that interview, Jones is certainly making his case that he is the right person.