Why this Division-I prospect transferred back to play football at Washington

Morton’s Carl Whitaker (2) puts a diving tackle on Washington’s Adrian Jones in the second half Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 in Washington. The Panthers defeated the Potters 7-0.

AJ Jones will once again be wearing orange and black.

The Class of 2026 wide receiver has returned to Class 6A state semifinalist Washington after spending the 2023 high school football season at Bolingbrook. He re-enrolled at the Mid-Illini Conference school in November 2023.

“I’ve had family here forever,” Jones said. “I have friends. I know everyone in the crowd. … I kind of love the Washington feel of home and how they treated me. I just wanted to be back.”

Jones’ mom took a job in the Bolingbrook area, putting the receiver on a promising Raiders squad that went 7-3 during the 2022 season. He already had a relationship with Bolingbrook starting quarterback Jonas Williams, who was coming off a freshman year where he threw for 2,737 yards and 37 touchdowns. The duo played together on the Midwest BOOM 7-on-7 club football team.

“I kind of felt comfortable knowing at least one person at that school,” Jones said.

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But being a part of a bigger school (Bolingbrook’s IHSA enrollment is listed at nearly 3,350 students) came with some problems feeling comfortable in the classroom.

“It was a way big difference,” Jones said. “The teachers couldn’t even teach because the kids would disrespect them to the point where they can’t even do anything. … As an education point, I was like, ‘I have to go back to Washington.’ I felt comfortable there. I knew what I was doing there.”

As a freshman in 2022, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder was Washington’s top receiver. He caught a team-high 11 balls for 143 yards and tied for a team-best two touchdowns as the Panthers finished…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-division-prospect-transferred-back-083044571.html

Author : Journal Star

Publish date : 2024-03-20 08:30:44

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