Transition For Terrel: How Matt Jones Hopes To Thirve As New Baylor Linebacker

After playing the edge for two season, Matt Jones is moving to inside linebacker in place of Baylor great Terrel Bernard.

Matt Jones doesn't feel things are different at Baylor despite the surplus of talent leaving the program for the pros. It's the same staff, the same defense and the same goals set from 2021.

Jones, a 6-3, 252-pound linebacker, will have a different role for the Bears’ defense in 2022. With the loss of All-Big 12 star Terrel Bernard, Baylor has a need for a second inside linebacker. Jones is set to line up for reps opposite of Dillon Doyle

The move for Jones was more than a welcoming one. Last season, he often would line up as the team’s JACK backer, working on blitz packages to disrupt the backfield. His heart, however, always was inside.

“It’s my home and that’s where I belong,” Jones said. “That’s what I’m best at doing. I was only down at JACK just because I know we were weak at it over the two years I’ve been playing it. We needed help, but inside’s my home.”

Bernard’s departure leaves a hole in Dave Aranda’s 4-2-5 scheme entering his third year with the program. Inside linebacker is crucial in the scheme as one linebacker primarily defends the run while the other plays in space.

Doyle, who finished with 89 tackles opposite Bernard, has been a thumper against the run since arriving in 2020. Last season, he registered nine tackles for loss to go along with a sack.

Jones, who recorded 7.5 tackles for loss, now will be asked to play more in space. With the WILL backer role, Jones believes it gives him a better advantage to make plays in space compared to the JACK, a position where he was asked to blitz first and make plays later.

“At the JACK, if the ball goes away from you, it’s hard to get there,” Jones said. “Being inside, it allows me to be involved in all the plays.”

Skills learned from the edge should help Jones become more well-rounded inside. One aspect comes with blitzes. On the edge, blitzing is a necessity to be successful. Inside, it’s a skill.

Bernard was considered to be the vocal leader of the locker room by teammates. He’s one of three key players from the 12-2 roster that won’t return to Waco this fall. Both All-American safety Jalen Pitre and safety J.T. Woods are trying to make it big at the next level.

Jones can’t control what the Bears’ secondary does. He can fill the void left by Bernard early in the season.

While the transition from the outside has been far from smooth, he's picked up the pace with more reps this fall. He’ll have to be on-point should he hope to remain a starter.

While Bernard is gone, the Bears believe they have arguably the best linebacking group in the country. Jones can see why after several weeks in practice.

“Being able to know we have a lot of talent deep in the depth, it’ll be good for down the road because I know last year, Dillon and Terrel were getting most of the reps, and later on in the season, it carried on,” Jones said. “Having depth, we’re able to play more than just 11 on the defensive side of the ball.”

The Bears open the season at McLane Stadium on Sept. 3 against Albany.

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