PODCAST: Recruiting with Sheriron Jones

In the latest episode of Gator Country’s weekly podcasts with Nick de la Torre and Andrew Spivey, Florida quarterback commit Sheriron Jones joins us to talk about his commitment.

In the second half of podcast, Jones talks about his upcoming trip to Oregon for the Elite 11 & Opening camp and also discusses which guys he plans to recruit for the Florida Gators.

This is the third of many great podcast episodes to come, so stay tuned for more!

— TRANSCRIPT:

NICK:            Alright. Welcome back to GatorCountry.com’s recruiting podcast for the class of 2015. I’m Nick de la Torre joined by recruiting coordinator Andrew Spivey. On this edition we welcome in Rancho Verde, California product and quarterback Sheriron Jones. Jones is a quarterback from Rancho Verde. You might recognize that high school name as where Ronald Powell is from out in California. We’ll go ahead and bring Sheriron in right now. Sheriron I wanted to ask you about something I saw at camp. You threw a back shoulder comeback and it really seemed to fire Kurt Roper up. Tell me about the background of that.

SHERIRON:            When I first came into high school I wasn’t used to putting touch on a ball and stuff like that, and going through high school it was basically like I need to learn how to make these throws, because a lot of guys in high school that’s in my class were making these throws, and they’re getting all this publicity and stuff. Going through high school I got a lot of prospects coming out of my high school, a lot of number ones and stuff like that. My quarterback coach, Coach Pete Duffy, he’s our head coach, we just started going through the motions and stuff at first, but then once it got third, fourth, maybe fifth month and stuff like that he was like you know this stuff. Now you need to learn how to put touch on the ball, knowing how to put the ball where it needs to be, so these great corners won’t just take the ball and take it back the other way for 170 yards and stuff like that. Basically he was just like if guys running with them, or if the guy’s not paying attention, you hit the back shoulder, just bullet it right to his back hip or the inside hip, and that’s basically where it came from. Those throws are not that hard, but you got to make sure the dude is not looking at the ball. I don’t really know how to explain. It’s just a quarterback thing, because everybody’s not going to understand why do they throw a back shoulder. It’s because he’s not looking, or maybe he’s running a little bit too far. He’s sticking with the receiver, and you got to throw back shoulder to where only your receiver can catch the ball.

ANDREW:            You talk about your quarterback coach. What are you looking forward to the most with working with Roper when you get to Florida?

SHERIRON:            It’s just learning different stuff. I mean, growing up and playing Pop Warner and then going to high school and going to college, you get all these different type of coaches that want to do different things with you. In Pop Warner I didn’t really have to run and stuff like that, because in Pop Warner you basically want to run the ball. You want to run the ball. You don’t want to run it with your quarterback, because he’s low key. He doesn’t really know how to throw the ball and stuff like that. Going to high school it changed for me, so learning from my head coach, and now going to a different quarterback coaches in college, Coach Roper. I just want to learn so much from him, get his aspect of how he coaches guys and get them to the NFL and stuff like that. I mean, with just pad protections and being able to build a bond with him to basically, I would to build a bond strong enough to where he’s there if I wind up in the NFL and stuff like that. To where it’s like Coach, you want to come to my draft party? Stuff like that. I just want to really get to know him and be able to know the offense and stuff like that, really just get a different take from Pop Warner and high school and actually going to college to get a different take on football and what football’s really about in college.

ANDREW:            Now you took a little bit of a fast approach. You got the offer from Florida, within a month you were on campus and committing. Kind of walk everybody through how that happened, how Coach Roper came to your school, about the offer, and you’re basically on campus and committed in a month. How did that process come about, and what was the one thing that made you think I’m going to commit to Florida on my visit?

SHERIRON:            Basically he came down to the school. He didn’t really talk to me, because usually when they come down to the school they don’t want to break NCAA rules and stuff like that. Because of my head coach they came down and watched the work out and saw me throw and stuff in person. That’s basically how it goes. He talked to my head coach, and my head coach told me that they offered me and stuff like that. So I was real fired up about that. I was fired up about all my offers just for them to give me the opportunity to play at their school for free, and be able to run their offense is a blessing in itself, but afterwards I was like I have to really think about how I’m going to start getting to colleges and really taking it seriously. It’s starting to get to my senior year, and they’re expecting me to really show interest just like they’re showing interest in me. I was like what I’m going to do is I’m going to go away to the other side of the country, since they offered me, so that way I don’t have to worry about that at the entrance. So I got it over with earlier than later, because it’d be hard to do it later, because you visit all the schools that’s around here, like Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and stuff like that. I said since Tennessee and Florida offered me I might as well just go over there and see what they’re really about see campus and everything. I went to Tennessee, went down there. It was great and everything. No disrespect to them or nothing like that, but I just felt like Florida was, I felt way more comfortable, and I felt like I could trust the coaches and stuff. It came down to it, I mean I got to talk to the Florida players, and that’s what it really came down to, those who really got me to come to their school, because it was just you’re going to come in. They’re going to treat you right. They’re going to treat you like how they want to treat you to get you down here, but at the same time you got to own up and be a man, because when it really comes down to it they really have to start getting on your case about stuff like that. I felt like they were my buddies, so I got to sit down and talk to them. I mean coaches come and go, everybody knows that. All these coaches, I mean if they find a better job and stuff like that, but the coaches did do a good job. I felt like I could trust those guys and be there and not have to look over my shoulder every five seconds. They know who they want, and they know who they need to get. That’s basically what they do. I don’t have anything against them, but the players really caught my eye. I feel like those were my brothers and I could really go to them about anything and built that bond in less than a day and a half. I felt like that’s where I belong.

ANDREW:            Was there one player maybe when you were on your visit that you started building a relationship with?

SHERIRON:            Westbrook

ANDREW:            Okay.

SHERIRON:            Yeah. Him and what’s Westbrook first name?

ANDREW:            Tevan

SHERIRON:            Yeah, Tevan wanted to talk I mean, after I left from the camp and stuff I got to meet them, because they were around and they were doing whatever they were supposed to do. Coaches introduced me to them and stuff and I got to ask them can I sit down and see what really everything is about. They explained to me we  are about brotherhood. I asked them how they felt about Ronald Powell coming from West Cali, and they was like they don’t care as long as they come here to help us win the national championship and stuff like that, and long as we’ve got everybody on page. They don’t really care where you come from. That’s how it should be for all colleges. I know it’s probably like that, but when you get in that moment to where it’s like you can really trust those dudes and build a bond with them and be able to be like I need some tissue. Can you come and bring me some tissues? Or something like that. It can be anything like that as long as I can trust those guys and stuff like that, I feel like I could. That’s what helped me make my decision.

ANDREW:            Let’s turn to the Elite 11 that’s coming up. That’s a special honor for you in that. What’s the focus going in? What are you looking forward to going out to Oregon?

SHERIRON:            Just looking to have fun and be able to compete with some of the best guys that come from the west coast, and coming from the east coast, and all these places, different places, and get their perspective on how they play football, and what helps them get better, because I’m always looking to get better, even if I have to take it from someone else. Growing up I took my game from Brett Favre. I mean, I loved how he was a gunslinger. He put the ball in crazy places, but at the same time he was real smart about what he was doing, and he trust his receivers and stuff like that. Just going out and being able to be around guys that’s as good as me. I have no problem with saying someone’s better than me when I actually know they’re better than me. Just being able to get around them and learn from the things that I couldn’t learn when I was in my high school that they’re teaching at their high school, anything just to get better and learn from the coaches and being around other players that’s got that high standard to them just like I have. Being able to go to the opening and play with the receivers that I might see and being able to be around and just build a relationship with guys. I’m not going out there to really try to recruit people. I’m going out there, because I know we’re all trying to have a good time and being able to be like I went out to the openings. I got to meet this dude and this dude. He came from here. He did this. I’m not really on a recruiting page. I mean I told Campbell. I was like, hey man, I told all these dudes, at the end of the day it’s your decision. You got to think about it. I just told them straight up I really want you be my teammate, and I would love for you to come down and play with us in Gainesville, and I wasn’t really on their case and stuff. I’m not one of those type of person that’s going to beg. I would love to be able to throw you the ball. I’d love to be able to see you make on a different quarterback or something like that. Just to be around players and the best in the country.

ANDREW:            What’s the one gear you’re looking forward to getting from Nike?

SHERIRON:            Anything. California we don’t have a limit on what we’re able to get and stuff like that. Just anything, I just want to see the type of stuff that they’re thinking about creating and stuff like that, even though we can’t tell everybody around us about it and what their ideas and plans are. Just be able to go and get some Nike gear without having to go pay for it is a blessing in itself. Just to get this opportunity to go to Oregon. It’s just a blessing.

ANDREW:            Nick you want to get out two rapid fire questions to end this thing?

NICK:            Yeah. I’ve got five quick questions for you. Shoot me the first answer that pops up in your head. You ready?

SHERIRON:            Okay.

NICK:            Orange or blue?

SHERIRON:            Great colors. I don’t even know how they blend those two together. I don’t what they were thinking of when they were like orange and blue out of nowhere. That’s pretty crazy. I love the orange and blue combination.

NICK:            No, orange or blue. You got to pick one or the other.

SHERIRON:            Oh, blue.

NICK:            Blue. Okay. What’s your favorite route to throw?

SHERIRON:            Probably a 10 yard out

NICK:            Okay. What’s the best part about living in California?

SHERIRON:            I would say the weather. I really don’t even do nothing out here. I don’t go to the beach. I’m not like the beach kid that’s like all surfer style. I don’t really go out and do all that hiking and stuff. So just the weather, just be able to go outside and stuff like that.

NICK:            Okay. If you couldn’t play football, what sport would you play?

SHERIRON:            I’m a fan of baseball and basketball, because usually a lot of people in my family they like to play basketball and stuff like that. It probably would be basketball, but I like baseball a lot, just to see 90 mph baseballs getting thrown at you. We all know. Come on now. I don’t really see the contact in that, but seeing that 90 mph baseball coming to hit your right in the face, that’s pretty crazy.

NICK:            Alright. Here’s my last one. If you could pick any celebrity in the world to go on a date with, who would you pick?

SHERIRON:            To go on a date with? Does it have to be female?

NICK:            You can pick whoever you want. It can be dinner with somebody else, doesn’t have to be a female.

SHERIRON:            Yeah. It could be like a dinner, don’t necessarily have to be a date, right?

NICK:            That’s fine yeah. Can be whatever you want it to be.

SHERIRON:            I’d probably say Bret Favre.

NICK:            Pick his brain a little bit.

SHERIRON:            Yeah. I’d pick the heck out of his brain. Growing up that was my favorite quarterback, just to have a celebrity to be able to sit down and talk to about football, because I know football’s going to come up. We’re both quarterbacks. Just to be able to pick his brain a little bit and see what he did and what helped him get better. If it was a female, I really don’t even know. I really don’t even know. I really can’t think about nobody right now in particular.

NICK:            We can do Bret Favre.

ANDREW:            Before you let him go, Nick. We have to talk the campaign of the Levi commercial. If he’s gonna like Bret Favre he’s got to put the Levis on.

SHERIRON:            Yeah. I wear Levis.

ANDREW:            The Levis and the John Deere tractors.

SHERIRON:            I wear Levis. I don’t wear the type he does, because that’s that real country stuff. I wear the Levis that make me look good.

ANDREW:            Sheriron we appreciate it.

SHERIRON:            Of course.

NICK:            We appreciate you coming on and best of luck coming up in the next couple weeks out in Oregon. You got some big shoes to fill. Will Greer finished number two in the Elite 11 last year, so you got to at least match him. We appreciate it. Thanks for coming on with us.

ANDREW:            Thanks, Sheriron.

SHERIRON:            Yes, sir.

Andrew Spivey
Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I have a question for you GC people, count the number of FIVE STAR recruits in the first 3 R years of Urban M , why did we win 2 NC ? ==========now count the # of 5 Stars of 4 years of Will M ? where are they ? or is this MACK BROWN style mega tons of 3 stars and multiple 7/8/9 win seasons , I honestly would love to see what u say on this =========

    • 5 stars don’t always relate to wins but it helps no doubt. This year should have a few 5 stars in the class however.