Jones provides spark for the Hawkeyes

After an 0-2 start, the Iowa football team was looking for a spark and it came in the first half from wide receiver and punt returner Charlie Jones. Filling in for Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Jones had a couple of nice runs on jet sweeps and he scored on a 54 yard punt return as well. He discusses his unique journey to Iowa after transferring from Buffalo, and the spark he gave the Hawkeyes in their 49-7 win over the Spartans.

Q: Could you describe the difference between returning punts and kickoffs?

JONES: They are a little bit different. The biggest difference is how the kick spin. On a kickoff it’s going to be end over end and on punt returns it’s more of a spiral. With returning it, things are pretty much the same, just find a hole and hit it as hard as you can.

Q: On the touchown was it return right and you just made the cut?

JONES: I think it was return middle and then I took that first step and saw the left side was open because there was great blocking on the left.

Q: Why did you transfer to Iowa and how were you able to impress your coaches?

JONES: That’s a good question. First of all Buffalo was pretty far from home, so it’s nice to be back closer to the Chicago area. I know my family is pretty happy. I knew a couple of coaches who coached here out of high school and they had recruited me. I just wanted to go somewhere where I knew coaches and I knew people on the team. I also knew that this was a program where you could work your way up with hard work. That’s really what it is. You have to come out and work hard and when your opportunity comes you take advantage of it.

Q: During the off-season in the spring, you were in Iowa City while a lot of people might have gone home. How did that help you build a bond with your fellow receivers and with Petras and how did that help you get into this rotation?

JONES: Definitely it helped. That was a good time. I lived in Spencer’s house with Nico and Lindy and all those guys. There was nothing else to do except go out and run routes with Spencer. We did that every day when we worked out and it definitely helped build chemistry and we became closer as friends and teammates.

Q: What is it about your skill set that makes you a good punt returner?

JONES: I guess it is taking a risk. I think on some of them I could fair catch, but I take a bit of a risk and try to make something out of nothing and I think that might be a difference.

Q: Are you on scholarship yet? If not, are you make a pretty strong case?

JONES: (laugh) I am not on scholarship, so I hope….I am just going to keep working hard and if it comes then great.

Q: Can you discuss the two rushing plays you had today?

JONES: Those are just two flies, as we call them. I came in and they called it in the huddle and Spencer had a great handoff and there was plenty of blocking and tons of room so I went to the open field.

Q: It’s a pretty big risk to leave a place like Buffalo where you had a pretty good season two years ago. Was it being homesick or did you just want to try and play at a higher level?

JONES: I love my teammates at Buffalo, but I wanted to play against the best of the best and here it’s the Big Ten. Then it comes down to working hard and that’s a day in and day out type of thing. I knew if you work hard every day then when the opportunity comes you take advantage of the opportunity.

Q: You have proven that you can play wide receiver in college football. Is this year just about finding ways to touch the football?

JONES: Yeah, we have a lot of great skilled guys in the room. We have a lot of players who can make big plays. I am just going to take advantage of the opportunities that are out there. If it’s one or two, then I am going to do everything I can.

Q: Can you sense the juice a punt return touchdown gives your team and what it does to the other team?

JONES: Yeah, it’s something we have been talking about and it brings a ton of energy to the sidelines. It brings up everyone’s energy and has an impact on the game.

Q: You said you knew a couple of coaches at Iowa. Who brought you in?

JONES: I knew Coach Polasek when he was at North Dakota State. I actually almost went there. And Coach Copeland was at Northern Illinois, which was another school I was looking at coming out of high school.