When Bob Shoop became USF's defensive coordinator last December, he arrived early for his first official day at the office. One player waited outside the door.

It was Bulls safety Will Jones.

"That showed me something,'' Shoop said. "It showed me how eager he was for success, how determined he was to come back. I believe he will be a major factor for our defense.''

As the Bulls prepare for Saturday's season opener against the No. 25-ranked BYU Cougars at Raymond James Stadium, Jones is eager for redemption.

For his defense. And certainly for himself.

Jones, a transfer from Kansas State and maybe USF's fastest player, was supposed to be a major factor last season. Two days before the Bulls' opener at NC State, on an inconsequential non-contact play with about five minutes remaining in the week's final practice, Jones suffered a torn ACL. He was done for the season — before it even began.

Fate seemed so cruel that day. A few USF coaches and players said the thought of it nearly made them physically ill.

Nearly 365 days later, Jones has returned. He said he hasn't surrendered any speed. In fact, he feels faster. He's not necessarily looking to make up for lost time, but his urgency is clear.

"I was hurt physically and mentally and it forced me to dig pretty deep,'' Jones said. "But seeing the way people reacted, it made me feel like I was loved and valued. I felt like I was a good teammate or everybody's brother. That definitely helped me through the process. It was going to be my first year at USF, but I already felt part of a brotherhood.''

While his teammates played under the lights and on national television, Jones' efforts were far from the spotlight.

But he kept showing up. And he worked himself back to form.

"Will Jones is a warrior in my opinion,'' said A.J. Artis, USF's director of football strength and conditioning. "Setbacks happen in life, right? It's how you respond. Sometimes, people complain about what happened to them or get mad on things they can't change. Will had a very mature approach.

"His heart, his dedication, his grit, and his work just showed me pretty clearly that his family has raised a gentleman. He has pushed through this adversity. He has waited for this moment. I believe he's ready for a very successful season.''

Jones, a 5-foot-9, 191-pound sophomore, played in 11 games over two seasons at Kansas State after being ranked as the nation's 60th-best cornerback in the recruiting class of 2019 by ESPN. After entering the transfer portal, Jones was intrigued by USF, which he remembered as the school where quarterback Quinton Flowers became a star. He viewed USF as an up-and-coming program. The deal was sealed when he met Bulls coach Jeff Scott.

"I haven't been in this program very long, but one thing I know is that man (Scott) will do what's best for us and the whole program,'' Jones said. "He cares about how we're living. He looks out for his guys. He's like our dad.''

Jones said he felt helpless last season and wished he could've helped the Bulls on the field. His teammates would've welcomed his athletic presence. Earlier this year, he was named on Bruce Feldman's annual college football "Freaks List" for The Athletic, which sited his being clocked at over 22 mph on the team's GPS tracker and his ability to squat 600 pounds and bench 375 while weighing just 190 pounds.

"We needed Will out there with us,'' Bulls cornerback Daquan Evans said. "We're excited to have him back.''

"When I saw Will go down, I took a knee and started praying,'' senior linebacker Antonio Grier said. "It was so great to see him flying around in spring ball. I remember seeing him jump a quick slant. He got the ball and took off. I just thought, 'Oh yeah. He's back.' ''

Jones, a track and field/football standout in his hometown of Arlington, Texas, said he believes USF's defense will be vastly improved. He said he sees competition at every position and relishes his role in a deep, athletic secondary.

"Everybody has a role, even when you're injured,'' Jones said. "I was on the sidelines last season, but I was always watching and trying to help my teammates. Honestly, I'm happy I can get back out there and not just watch because watching is frustrating.

"I've had a lot of time to reflect on myself. I don't know why it happened to me in the way it did, like something out of the blue. If anything, it has made me super eager to perform. I'm not looking back. I'm looking forward. I'm putting my head down and going to work.''

– Go Bulls –