December 16, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
One of DeKalb County High School’s most outstanding football players will soon be trading his black and gold school colors for purple and gold.
Evan Jones, a senior who played tight end and defensive end for the Tigers, signed a letter of intent Wednesday to play for the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles next year. Jones will graduate from DCHS in May.
Jones, a 1st Team All Region Award winner this year, played for the Tigers all four of his high school years with these last two seasons having been the most memorable as the team had back to back appearances in the state play-offs before losing both years to Nolensville.
Jones said he has always had a special place in his heart for Tennessee Tech and that is primarily why he chose to further his education and football career there.
“I have been around Cookeville a lot since I was little and I just like the atmosphere at Tennessee Tech. I can remember the first time my dad took me there and I have always loved that campus. Every time my dad and I went to Cookeville when I was little when we would go to Tech’s campus I would say to him tell me some stories about your college days so it just felt right for me. I don’t yet know what my role will be there but wherever they put me I will give it everything I have and hopefully eventually become an important part of the Tennessee Tech football team,” said Jones.
As for his years as a Tiger, Jones said those memories will last a lifetime.
“The most memorable to me was my senior year but both my junior and senior years were great. It was important to me to prove to myself and to the community that DeKalb County isn’t a pushover in football. We went 3-7 my freshman and sophomore years but my junior and senior years I felt we had something to prove. We had chips on our shoulders. These last two years have been pretty special and it has been awesome to have been a part of that,” said Jones.
Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said he is proud of Evan and what he has meant to the DCHS Football Program and is confident he has more good years in football ahead of him at the next level.
“It’s a good day anytime you see one of your guys have the opportunity to go to the next level and continue to play. We want Evan and the other guys to take those experiences they had here to the places they are going. They will learn new things, new plays, new schemes, and new ways to do things but with what our assistant coaches do here and put our players through they are prepared to do that. This is the second year in a row we have someone going to Tech and I am really excited for Evan and everything he and his family have meant to this program. He is a good guy from a great family and that is represented in how he carries himself and its one of the reasons Tennessee Tech was so excited about him,” said Coach Trapp.
Tennessee Tech competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.
The season ended for the Tigers last month at 7-5 although one of the losses was not on the field but a COVID-19 forfeit to Cumberland County. The 2020 Tigers made history by being the first DCHS football team to win a regular season region championship and the first to host back to back state playoff football games in Smithville.
Evan was joined at the signing Wednesday by his parents, Chris and Teresa Jones and his brothers and Ean and Eli.