FILM STUDY: Analyzing QB Emory Jones' arsenal of skills, areas to improve
After evaluating potential suitors to play for in his senior season in a patient approach to the transfer portal, dual-threat quarterback Emory Jones announced his commitment to Arizona State on Thursday.
Jones immediately becomes the favorite to man the ASU offense in the fall. He is the most experienced member of the group and is coming off a season that saw him start 12 games at the helm of the Florida Gators. Since Jones entered the portal in March, well ahead of the May 1 deadline, he retains immediate eligibility for the 2022 season.
A quarterback competition between Trenton Bourguet and Paul Tyson thundered in Tempe this spring, but neither signal-caller was able to cause much separation from the other throughout four weeks of practices. And for what it's worth, both were outplayed by Daylin McLemore in the Spring Showcase game. Jones arrives in Tempe primed to capitalize on a situation in desparate need of stability, especially at quarterback, and poised to bring some familiarity to the position.
Here are the talents that Jones brings to the Sun Devils:
Rushing ability and read-option prowess
ASU’s success on offense is built on how well the team can run the ball. The only season under Herm Edwards that has not featured a 1,000-yard rusher was 2020, which was shortened to four games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Glenn Thomas implemented a new scheme this offseason, but the run game remains ASU’s best asset with premier rushers like third-year standout Daniyel Ngata, Wyoming transfer Xazavian Valladay, and four-star recruit Tevin White. The transfer portal entries of Ricky Pearsall and LV Bunkley-Shelton, the top two receiving leaders from last season, also suggest a heavier reliance on the ground game.
When Jayden Daniels transferred to LSU, the Sun Devils lost an element of the offense that neither of his successors could offer. Daniels’ rushing ability bailed the offense out of several snags each week and moved the chains when the passing game could not. Most importantly, that dynamism benefited the team’s running backs because it forced defenders to honor the legs of Daniels. During the handoff sequence, it was common to see edge defenders and linebackers freeze as they deciphered the ball's direction. The less mobile Bourguet and Tyson do not offer the same type of threat, but Jones certainly does.
Jones is a tremendous athlete. He rushed for 759 yards and four touchdowns in 2021. Jones is fast, agile, and elusive. Breaking tackles at top gear and in space is natural for him. When the walls of the pocket crumble completely, Jones can frequently jet away from danger and pick up positive yardage. With his long legs fluidly scampering around defenders in his No. 5 jersey, Jones looks overwhelmingly similar to Daniels.
On this 1st-and-10 opportunity, Jones barely finished his dropback before two Tennessee defenders breached his breathing room from the right. Jones bolted into action, surged ahead of the linebacker’s pursuit angle, and zoomed through the B-gap a few moments before it was boarded up. Jones then entered open space, threatened the middle of the field, and destroyed the incoming cornerback’s angle with a seamless cut.
The play, which appeared doomed seconds after the snap, ended as a 13-yard rush for a first down.
Where Jones truly shines is executing the read-option. Jones is superb at keying defenders and assessing player behavior to determine when to handoff or pull the ball. On this 1st-and-10 play at the beginning of the second quarter versus Samford, Jones smartly tucks the ball after observing the right linebacker crash toward the running back moving laterally in front of him. Jones basically has an express ramp to the end zone based on that simple check, and he finishes through his pads at the end of the play to secure the touchdown.
Even if defenders employ measures to prevent those big plays from Jones on the ground from happening, his quickness and athleticism are enough to create a superior mismatch. Later in the game against Tennessee, Jones kept the ball on 2nd-and-9 and sprinted down the sideline for 50 yards. It all happened because the defender holding the left edge (#9) was late to find the ball. He could not match Jones’ acceleration when he finally realized where it was.
As the previous play illustrates, Jones is dangerous as a ball carrier, and the defense must attempt to keep tabs on him to avoid suffering the consequences. This awareness allows for openings in the run game. Jones can move defenders out of position simply by the mere peril of his abilities. His proficiency in this area is a big reason why the 6-7 Gators were competitive against Alabama last season.
As the 1st-and-10 run develops, the Alabama middle linebacker (#10) focused too heavily on Jones. The A-gap remains unfilled and wide open, which allowed running back Malik Davis to blast straight through the line of scrimmage and up the middle of the defense. The safety missed the tackle, players scrambled to assist, and the momentum of Davis propelled him amidst contact into the end zone.
Arm Talent and throwing mechanics
Jones completed 64.7% of his passes last season for 2,734 yards and 19 touchdowns. However, his 13 interceptions were tied for the most by an SEC quarterback. The high number of picks boils down to his sense of comfort in the pocket. Jones’ feet are largely inactive and lack rhythm during his progressions. On some plays, he held onto the ball longer than he should have and missed throwing windows. He can fail to anticipate pressure until the last second, which led to him launching a few errant throws while in the process of getting hit by a defender.
However, there are a lot of good qualities about Jones as a passer. His release is quick and zippy, a result of a smooth throwing motion and nice transfer of weight to his front foot. He can push the ball downfield, even though a conservative Florida passing attack limited his potential in that area. But Jones’ biggest strength is the command of his throw velocity based on his proximity to targets downfield. He has the firepower to not only gun balls in tight coverage or load up for a deep shot but also float dimes over the shoulder to targets over the middle or exiting the backfield.
The seam route was a popular find for Jones on tape, which bodes well for ASU. Daniels and tight end Curtis Hodges had an effective connection on the route last year, and Jones will have an array of pass-catching tight ends to deliver the ball to mainly Jalin Conyers and Messiah Swinson. Jones’ tight end at Florida was Kemore Gamble, and the two single-handedly presented a good deal of problems for Samford with their chemistry on the seam.
On this 2nd-and-9 situation, Gamble’s delayed release and the nature of Florida’s play-action design opened up the middle of the field for Jones to take a shot. The touch on Jones’ throw was outstanding. Gamble hardly needed to slow up for the ball as it dropped into his belly. This accuracy allowed Gamble to retain a bit of speed on the trailing defender and rack up more yards after the catch.
A similar play in a red zone opportunity illustrates the urgency of Jones in the context of the defense. Gamble springs free down the seam once again and turns inside to look for the ball. Jones recognized his open man and threw the right pass for the situation. Jones applied more heat on the ball to ensure it would arrive before the safety could reach Gamble. Jones also threw to the opposite shoulder of Gamble, which was a safer alternative. It made the big tight end adjust mid-route, but it also shielded the catch point by putting Gamble’s back to the encroaching safety.
Off-script
No offensive coordinator can plan for when plays go awry. When that happens, it is all up to how well the quarterback can communicate with his receivers with pressure bearing down on him. Daniels always looked poised when faced with off-script scenarios, but his accuracy in targeting his receivers in such situations suffered last season when he did decide to test his arm.
Jones is a cool operator under pressure and demonstrates immense poise when tasked to work out of the pocket. He buys ample time with his legs and keeps his eyes downfield, even with green grass in front of him. Jones frequently looks to pass first until the advantages of running the football tilt in his favor.
Eying the end zone from the 9-yard line against Vanderbilt, Jones enters a designed rollout pass and sets his sights on the cluster of pass catchers to his left. However, his primary read running a corner route hits a slight snag as he fights through contact. Jones continues to extend the play as he slides left and slightly backward before dropping a perfect touch pass over the head of the safety.
Operating under much more duress against Alabama, Jones showed exceptional composure. After a quick glance downfield, Jones nimbly sidestepped a blitzer screaming toward him and left the pocket. Without much windup, he rocketed a sidearm pass to a receiver coming back for the throw. Jones can be trusted to keep his wits about him and navigate situations of extreme pressure with the tranquility of a veteran.
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