About Derek Jones

Derek Jones played at McQueen High School in Reno, NV where he lettered twice each in football and baseball. McQueen won the 1997 large school state football title and in 1998 won zone and division titles. Coach Jones was named All-State, All-Conference, All-Division and All-Metro as both a punter and kicker as a senior. Coach Jones' high school athletic highlight was kicking a record-setting 56-yard field goal in the playoffs while at McQueen. 

Coach Jones then decided to stay home and play collegiately for the University of Nevada, Reno. After red shirting his first year, Coach Jones started his career as a redshirt freshman punting a school-record 79 times. He finished with 3,119 total yards was, and still is, second on the all-time Nevada list. As a sophomore, Coach Jones had 53 punting attempts and 2,107 total yards while also taking over kickoff duties (which he continued to do the remainder of his career). He had a then career long 66-yard punt with only one blocked. As a junior, Coach Jones was named Nevada's top special team’s player following spring drills. He then led the league in punting and helped Nevada lead the WAC in net punting while improving his career-long punt to 70 yards vs. UTEP. That season Coach Jones also moved into second place in Nevada career punting yards (7,805). Coach Jones' senior year he was again on the Ray Guy watchlist and finished with 71 punting attempts for 2871 total yards. 

Coach Jones then signed a free-agent deal with the Miami Dolphins on draft day 2004 and went on to spend training camp with the Dolphins, before suffering a leg injury and being released.  After several months of recovery Coach Jones had workouts with the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, and St. Louis Rams before ultimately signing a deal with the Ottawa Renegades of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Following his playing career, Coach Jones began coaching kickers and punters at Damonte Ranch High School in Reno, Nevada in 2005.  Coach Jones then continued coaching kickers and punters along with becoming the Special Teams Coordinator for the Reed High School Varsity Football Team in Sparks, Nevada from 2017-2020.

Coach Jones is married and has two daughters. 

Accolades:

McQueen High School
1st Team Punter/Kicker (Division/Zone/State) – 1998
1st Team All-Metro Punter/Kicker – 1998
School Record 56-Yeard Field Goal – 1998
RGJ and Las Vegas Sun All-1990’s State Decade Team

McQueen Athletic Hall of Fame inductee

University of Nevada, Reno
Nevada career records in punts and yardage 

WAC career leader in punts / 2nd in career yardage
WAC Player of the Week – October 2-8, 2000
WAC All-Honorable Mention – 2002/2003
Nevada Special Teams Player of the Year – 2003
Ray Guy Award Watch List – 2002/2003

Professional
Free Agent with Miami Dolphins (NFL) – 2004
Free Agent with Ottawa Renegades (CFL) - 2005