He was an All-Big 12 selection at Baylor. Now he hopes to resurrect this DFW offense

Jerry Jones is at every football game, practice and meeting at Arlington Seguin.

No we’re not talking about the billionaire that owns America’s Team.

This Jones is a junior outside linebacker for the Cougars. He’s a key member of the 2018 squad and is getting interest from TCU, Texas Tech and Missouri.

“I hear about it quite often like every day at school. I don’t get tired of it,” he said. “I’m not too worried about recruiting. I’m just ready to play with my brothers and we’re excited to start this new season.”

The Cowboys owner won’t be helping Seguin, but the Cougars did add someone with an impressive football background.

Will Blaylock was hired as Seguin’s offensive coordinator in the spring.

He was a first-team all-state center at John Tyler and went on to play for Tulane and Baylor. Blaylock helped Tyler to the state title game as a junior. He was an All-Big 12 selection at Baylor.

“I knew we wanted a guy with proven experience and a proven track record,” coach Joe Gordon said. “I wanted a guy that knew how to build a program and build an offense, and who knew how to call the game.”

Blaylock was the offensive coordinator at his alma mater from 2014-16 and in three seasons the Lions were 31-9 and averaged over 44 points per game.

But why the move to Seguin?

“I thought it was a great opportunity,” Blaylock said. “There’s a great atmosphere here and once I came and saw it in person, my family loved it.”

Tyler was a playoff team each year and reached the regional round twice. The Lions went to the state quarterfinals in 2014.

“It’s about building a culture and I’m from John Tyler so that’s one thing I learned there,” Blaylock said. “Culture can take over a school and community so hopefully we can take that same mentality and bring it here because it’s such a young campus.”

The Cougars are coming off a 3-7 campaign. They’ve made the playoffs six times in the past 15 years.

“We want to lay down that foundation and hopefully in 20 years we come back and Seguin is rolling the same way we do in East Texas,” Blaylock said.

Seguin will have its work cut out this season with a nine-team district in 5-5A Division II, which includes seven-time state champ Aledo.

The Cougars open the season Aug. 30 at home against Garland Lakeview Centennial. They play in Mansfield vs. Timberview in Week 2.

“A nine-team district is a challenge in itself and it leaves very little room for error. It’s an opportunity for us to go out and measure ourselves against the best of the best,” Gordon said. “We’re excited. We just want to be competitive and be the best version of us together as a team. We want to demonstrate hard work, discipline and enthusiasm.”

Leading the way is sophomore QB Xavier Gordon and sophomore RB Jalen March.

The Cougars return 10 starters, including six on defense. Key returners include linemen Romello Watson, Chiaemerrean Nnanna and Emmanuel Ojo-Ejenai, receivers Taevean Sanford and Mykelti Carelock, linebacker Maurice Okello and defensive backs Jalen Hunter, Jermiah Giddens and Tre Allen.

“We had an awesome summer in terms of commitment. It was a turning point in our program to see the complete buy-in at all levels,” Gordon said. “There is no shortcut in Texas to be competitive on Friday nights. You have to work hard and out-work your opponent.”