ROCKINGHAM — It wasn’t by design, which most of what Jay Jones does on Friday nights is, but he found himself coaching an eighth-grade Caleb Hood at Rockingham Middle School in 2016.
The one season Jones was away from coaching at Richmond Senior High School during an otherwise continuous span since 2008, he felt like “God’s hand” was with him. It was the beginning of a new adventure that has since grown into a budding relationship.
Fast forward to the summer of 2017 when Jones returned to Richmond as the quarterback coach for head coach Bryan Till’s first season, which was also the same summer Hood won the starting quarterback job as a freshman.
Two seasons later, Jones, Hood and the Raiders are on the eve of their first West regional championship appearance since Jones’ first year as a coach with the program. Although the amount of time, advice and energy can’t be documented over the past three seasons, the progression of Jones’ and Hood’s relationship, as well as the quarterback’s play, can.
Every afternoon, Jones trots up to the practice field with the rest of the Raiders, as Hood and senior quarterback Noah Altman follow in tow with a garbage can full of footballs. It’s the same place where Jones practiced as the Raiders’ starting quarterback as a senior in 1996.
For the 40-year-old Raider alumni, returning to his old stomping grounds every day during football season to help develop the team’s quarterbacks never gets old.
“It’s awesome, everything means so much more because I played here,” Jones said. “Last week our fans are chanting “Raiders” and it brings a tear to my eye. It makes me feel special being here today with the point of pride of trying to bring Raider football back to what we all remember it being and want it to be.”
Jones explained he grew up watching the state championship teams of Daryl Barnes’ Raiders in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Following Jones’ time at Richmond, current offensive coordinator Brad Denson captained two undefeated state title teams in 1997 and 1998. All of that is a part of the Raiders’ rich tradition, and something Jones and the rest of the current coaching staff pride themselves on today.
“It’s a pleasure to get a chance to try and replicate those teams and their success,” Jones commented. “I was just thinking today how easy Caleb and Noah make my job.
“They can call the offense, check to get us out of bad plays, and they’re both sponges who soak everything up,” he added. “They’re both very smart young men.”
Hood, a three-year starter, and Altman, a two-year varsity back up, have both made visible growth in size the past couple of years. But what fans may not see so clearly on Friday nights is how their special bond with their coach has also grown into a trusted relationship on and off the field.
“Coach Jones cares about Caleb and I as people,” Altman shared. “He texts us a devotion every morning, and that’s helped us build a trusting relationship with him. He’s really more than a coach — he’s a life mentor.
“Coach has taught me a lot of lessons about life and football that go hand in hand,” he added. “Integrity, honesty and learning to admit when I need help are all things he’s taught us.”
The biggest on-field lesson Jones has taught Altman, who recently received his first official offer from Brevard College, is fine-tuning his throwing mechanics.
When asked what his coaching philosophy is when working with Hood and Altman, Jones described it as “coaching confidence” to the highest degree. He wants both signal callers to be “extremely confident” even when he corrects them, but added, “theyr’e alpha guys who want to be great.”
With No. 1 Richmond ready to host No. 10 Vance High School in Friday’s 4AA West regional championship, Jones and his crew ran through a variety of plays during Wednesday’s practice and Thursday’s walkthrough. A win would return the Raiders to UNC’s Kenan Stadium for their first shot at a state title since 2008.
“This team understands what it takes to win and is willing to do what it takes to win,” Jones said. “Every player and coach genuinely loves each other and there’s a lot of camaraderie. Caleb said it best — we’re not ready to go home because we want to keep playing together as a team.”
There’s always a lot of talk amongst football teams being a family, but Jones said the feeling of family is real in the Raider locker room. He added that the way the Raiders play on Fridays exemplifies that brotherhood for the community to see.
Under Jones’ instruction, Hood has emerged as a three-star recruit and one of the state’s best dual-threat quarterbacks. In his 38 starts as a Raider, Hood has amassed 6,218 passing yards (161.6 yards per game), 59 passing touchdowns, 1,858 rushing yards (48.9 yards per game) and 22 rushing scores (according to Maxpreps).
This season alone, Hood has 2,088 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns (tied career-high), and career-highs in rushing yards (935) and rushing touchdowns (15). Of getting to coach such a talented and versatile player, Jones said he’s been most impressed with Hood’s progression of his understanding of the game.
“His ability and raw athleticism have always been there, but the way he’s progressed in his understanding of defenses has been tremendous,” Jones said. “When he was a freshman, we called and ran a play.
“Now his progressions as a quarterback and a football player have led to him knowing what’s going on in the secondary and in the box,” he continued. “Caleb can get us out of bad looks and he’s very instinctive to make the right play.”
In the three years of nearly year-long football development, Jones noted Hood’s passing game is “a lot better this year because he understands where people are going to go and takes advantage of holes in defensive coverages.”
During the Raiders’ third-round win over Myers Park High School last week, Hood recorded a career-high four rushing scores. Three of them were set up by red zone catches from Jakolbe Baldwin or Dalton Stroman, and the other he popped off for a 73-yard scamper on the game’s third play.
When game planning, Jones and Denson take into account Hood’s dual-threat capabilities, especially his speed and strength, which Jones attributes to Hood’s training from his father, Errol Hood, while growing up.
“Coach Jones has helped me in a big way,” Hood said. “I struggled with finding coverages and pocket movement (early on), and he’s been the biggest reason I’m able to understand the game the way that I do.
“I can tell Coach anything and that means a lot,” he added. “He always talks to us about being good men off the field and reminds us that we have to set a good example as quarterbacks by doing the right thing.”
The biggest game of Richmond’s season is just over 24 hours from kickoff, but that’s not intimidating Jones or the quarterbacks.
“We’re focusing on us,” he closed. “We understand (Vance) has a very good defense. But we want to focus on the things we do and be the best version of ourselves.”
Kickoff between No. 1 Richmond and No. 10 Vance in the West regional championship is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
