Courtesy of Shaw U Athletics
RALEIGH, N.C. – Shaw University announces a change in the leadership of its HBCU football program, effective immediately. The university has decided to part ways with Adrian Jones, who has served as head football coach for the past eight seasons.
“We are grateful for Coach Jones’s contributions to the Shaw Bears football program,” said Shaw University AD George Knox “His leadership and dedication over the years have been instrumental in shaping the lives of our student-athletes and the broader Shaw University community. As we move forward, we are focused on elevating our program to new levels of success.”
A national search is currently underway for the next head football coach.
About Adrian Jones
After taking over a program that was 1-9 in 2015, Adrain Jones led the Bears to an 18-10 conference record, over the last four seasons. His overall record is 35-45.
Jones comes to Shaw from North Carolina Central University where he was the running backs coach and camp coordinator for the Eagles. During his two stints at NCCU, Jones coached running backs, defensive backs, and outside linebackers. As an assistant coach at NCCU, Jones helped the Eagles garner two CIAA championships (2005 and 2006), two MEAC championships (2014 and 2015) and a Black College National Championship (2006).
Prior to his HBCU football coaching career, Jones led his high school alma mater, Southern High School in Durham, N.C., to the 2013 NCHSAA 3-AA State Championship title. In his seventh season as head coach at Southern High, Jones led the Spartans to the state title following the team’s seventh straight playoff appearance under his supervision. With a Big 8 Conference championship included in the team’s historic run, Jones was selected the 2013 Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year. He was also the PAC-6 Coach of the Year three times after guiding the Spartans to three consecutive PAC-6 championships from 2007 to 2009.
As a student-athlete at NCCU, Jones earned First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region honors twice and remains among the school’s career leaders in passes defended (41) and interceptions (10).