Training Camp Q&A: Isaiah Jones

Syracuse football's wide receiver discusses the latest from camp including returning from injury.

Syracuse wide receiver Isaiah Jones spoke to the media after a recent training camp practice. 

Q: What have you seen with the wide receiver group so far in camp?

Jones: "I'd says it's a collection of all of us making plays when opportunities come our way. I think everyone in our room, and the inside room, has done a great job at doing that. When the ball's in the air, it's our job to make plays and encourage each other. When we make big plays, we've got to celebrate with each other too." 

Q: How hard was it for you to sit out with the injury and did that give you a different perspective?

Jones: "It just made me appreciate football a lot more because you never really know when it's going to be the last time you can play. I know my injury wasn't a crazy injury to the point where it held me back from playing. But when you sit there and watch everyone else compete every day and doing what they love to do, it puts it in a different perspective for you." 

Q: How have you picked things up so far from where you were last year?

Jones: "The groove is the groove. You just keep going. With something like this, you can't let it affect you. You've just got to keep moving on. Being consistent with what you're doing. Your catches, your footwork, agility, everything that you need to do as a receiver. Even blocking. Just make sure you're doing everything in the offseason so when you come back on the field you're ready to go." 

Q: Do you have personal goals or are they more team oriented?

Jones: "I don't really think about personal goals. Of course I want to have a great season, that's my goal. But I'd love to win way more. If everyone over on the receiver's side, quarterback's side, the running back's side, the o-line side, as long as everyone's doing what they need to do, it feels way better to win." 

Q: Is there a cornerback on this team that's a challenge for you in practice?

Jones: "I don't want to really say that there's a cornerback that's most challenging because they all are their own individual players. They all give you different looks and different things we need to work on. So it's just a collective unit of us working against them and making each other better." 

Q: What's been your impression of that group with so many new guys?

Jones: "I like our corner group. Especially with the coaches they have, I think they're doing a great job at incorporating what he's bringing in to them. Learning different things." 

Q: How have you seen Garrett Shrader take his game to the next level?

Jones: "He's been doing a great job at just reading defenses. Putting the ball where it needs to be. Protecting us as receivers. He'll make changes to the plays if he needs to. He's just doing a great job being a leader and making sure everyone's doing the right thing that they need to be doing." 

Q: Last year, coach Babers went with the #1 and #2 wide receiver approach as opposed to by committee. Are you looking for that same approach this year?

Jones: "That would be a better question for coach Babers but I can say at this point, like I said before, receivers, we're just here to do our job if the ball comes our way. It's more of the quarterback needs to trust us and throw the ball to us. As long as the quarterback trusts us, we'll be getting the ball. 

Q: Do you think Garrett trusts you at this point?

Jones: "I think there's trust. We've been doing a great job making plays everyday and just when the ball comes we've got to make the play. I believe so, yes." 

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