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By Ethan Strang
Times-News

Point University’s spring football practices have commenced, and for one player it was a long time coming.

Junior defensive back Roman Jones tore the labrum in his left shoulder in October of last year during a game at Kentucky Christian. At the time, Jones was unsure if he would ever return to the football field.

“There’s some days when I get up, and I’m like ‘I’m not going [to rehab],’” Jones said. “It’s a tough process.”

What has helped him in the recovery process? His faith. Before coming to Point University, Jones was not a devout Christian, but his time at Point has seen his relationship with Chrsitianity evolve.

“I’m still as green as they come when it comes to that,” Jones said. “I’m starting to read verses everyday.”

Unfortunately, it was tragedy that sparked this change of heart for Jones. After an extremely successful freshman season, catastrophe struck.

“During my Christmas break, one of my best friends unfortunately ended her life, and I came back to campus just devastated,” Jones said. “It took a toll on me. One day my boy Tyreek hit me up and said ‘come to church with me.’”

Now, Jones is a regular attendee of the church and has no qualms driving all the way to Auburn to attend.

The incident at the end of his freshman season weighed on his soul for a while, which led him to having a relatively down year his sophomore season before bouncing back last year before his injury.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Jones was looking for a smaller school with intimate lectures and classes. This was one of the aspects that Jones found so appealing about Point University.

Point University also had an academic program he wanted to be a part of. Jones is majoring in exercise science and hopes to stick around football long after he hangs up the cleats.

“I’m going to go off and coach whether that is one-on-one player development coach or a coach at an actual college or high school,” Jones said. “Right now, I’m leaning toward being an actual coach.”

Jones still has football to play and is enjoying being back in practice despite the fact that he cannot participate in contact drills yet. 

“It feels good to just be back out there playing,” Jones said. “I’m just in a jersey and not pads because I’m still recovering.”

This is not Jones’ first time recovering from a devastating injury. He dislocated his patella in his junior year of high school.

“Season for season my college career mirrors my high school career,” Jones said.

Jones had a good start to his high school career during his freshman year before having a down year during his sophomore year. Just like his college career, this was promptly followed by season ending injury during his junior season.

“Going through it again definitely makes it easier to go through,” Jones said. “I definitely have more emotional maturity going through these things.”

Jones is still working his way back to 100%. Jones will never have the same mobility in his shoulder again but should get back to being able to maneuver it well enough on the football field.

With a big senior year in his sights, Jones is looking to stay healthy and make some big plays for the Skyhawks.