Former Tulsa assistant coach Derek Jones was hired in January 2007 to guide the Tiger cornerbacks. This is the first season that the secondary will be split between two coaches, as defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz will lead the safeties. Jones coached cornerbacks one season at Tulsa after serving as an assistant at Middle Tennessee State and Murray State. In 2006, Tulsa finished the year with an 8-5 record and lost to Utah in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. That same season, the Hurricane defense ranked first in the league in pass defense and total defense. Tulsa's defense also ranked second in C-USA in scoring defense, allowing its opponents just 20 points per game. Prior to joining Tulsa's staff in 2006, Jones spent the 2005 season as the cornerbacks coach at MTSU. The Blue Raiders' defense showed a vast improvement statistically from the previous year, ranking 30th in the nation in pass defense and 34th in interceptions. Before his one-year stint at MTSU, Jones spent five seasons (2000-04) at Murray State serving as the cornerback coach and recruiting coordinator. Jones coached seven all-conference performers in his five years with the Racers. In 2004, Jones' secondary played a major role in Murray State ranking 11th nationally in total defense and 23rd in scoring defense in Division I-AA. The Racers ranked second in pass defense in the Ohio Valley Conference and 40th nationally. A year earlier, the Murray State defensive unit ranked first in pass defense in the OVC and fourth nationally. A native of Woodruff, S.C., Jones entered the coaching ranks at his alma mater, Ole Miss, in 1998 as a graduate assistant for football operations and recruiting. He served as a defensive graduate assistant a year later. As a player, Jones was the team captain for the 1995 and 1996 seasons and earned second team All-SEC honors as a junior and senior cornerback. Following his senior season, Jones was selected to play in the 1996 Blue-Gray All-Star Classic. He was also a standout in track and field for the Rebels, earning All-SEC honors in the 4x400-meter relay and reaching the nationals in that event as well. Jones earned his bachelor's degree in public administration from Ole Miss in 1996. Following graduation, Jones played professionally for the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League and the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League. An injury ended his playing career in 1998. Jones, 33, and his wife, Naketa, have one daughter, Madison. He has another daughter, Darquisha, 16.
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Memphis Tigers
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