As AJ Jackson wrapped up his introductory press conference as Tennessee's new LEOs coach, he left the room buzzing with anticipation. Jackson, the third of Tennessee’s new defensive coaches to take the podium, had everyone curious about the next speaker, new cornerbacks coach Derek Jones.
“The cheetah man,” Jackson teased when asked about Jones. “He’s an excellent recruiter and a leader of men. Known for his connection with the players, he bridges the gap between our experienced staff and the younger athletes, really bringing out their best.”
Naturally, the nickname "Cheetah" was the first topic for Jones when he took the stage. His social media handle, @CoachDJCheetah, hints at a story worth telling.
“Well, it’s a nod to my speed back in the day, though that’s long gone,” Jones chuckled. “At Duke, I started using ‘cheetah’ as a coaching term.
David Cutcliffe, who I worked with for 14 years, encouraged us to use concise phrases. During the era of hurry-up offenses, ‘cheetah’ became a versatile term for us, symbolizing key-to-hip alignment in tackling, coverage, and pursuit.”
Jones explained how he transformed Duke’s struggling program by instilling a sense of identity. “Social media was just emerging, and I wanted to give my group a brand.
I called them the coalition, a nod to cheetahs who hunt with their brothers. That unity was key.
Twitter came along, and I became Coach Cheetah.”
Jones has a long history with Tennessee’s new defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, having worked together at Duke from 2010 to 2017. Knowles praised Jones during his own introduction.
“DJ is an elite recruiter, motivator, and mentor. His energy is contagious, and it elevates our entire staff.
He’s a high-energy guy, and that reflects in everything he does.”
This offseason, Tennessee revamped its defensive staff following the departure of former coordinator Tim Banks. Joining the team are Knowles as defensive coordinator, Jones as cornerbacks coach, Jackson as LEOs coach, and Anthony Poindexter as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Jones has a proven track record, having coached several players who made it to the NFL, including Jamison Crowder, Ross Cockrell, Kenyatta Lucas, and Michael Carter II. His experience and dynamic approach are set to bring a fresh energy to Tennessee’s defense.