Greg Jones is in his first season as the Governors’ defensive coordinator after joining Jeff Faris’ coaching staff in Feb. 2025.
Before joining the Governors, Jones served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Tennessee Tech during the 2024 season. Prior to his time at TTU, he was the co-defensive coordinator at Gardner Webb in 2023 and assistant offensive line coach at Old Dominion in 2022. Jones spent six seasons at Wake Forest (2016-21) – with the Deacons appearing in a bowl game each year – in various roles for the Deacons and was an assistant coach and director of recruiting at Cornell from 2013-15. Before his time in the Ivy League, Jones spent one season at Kenyon College (2012) and Rhode Island (2011) after beginning his coaching career at Wilkes University (2010).
In his playing career, Jones was a three-year letterwinner at Bucknell, totaling 30 starts for the Bison. He had 257 career tackles and earned All-Patriot League honors as a senior in 2009.
Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Bucknell in 2010 and a master’s in liberal studies from Wake Forest in 2017.
JONES’ CAREER SUMMARY
Austin Peay (2025-CURRENT)
2025: Joined Jeff Faris’ staff as the Governors’ defensive coordinator in Feb. 2025.
Tennessee Tech (2024)
2024: Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in his lone season at Tennessee Tech, which earned a share of the OVC-Big South Football Association title after finishing 7-5 with a 6-2 record in league play. The Golden Eagles led the OVC-Big South Football Association in scoring defense (21.9), yards allowed (330.4), touchdowns allowed (33), turnovers gained (24), first-downs allowed (215), tackles for loss (7.7), and rushing yards allowed (82.9), which ranked second in the FCS. The Golden Eagles also were second in the league in the league in sacks (35), interceptions (16), pick-sixes (2), and fourth-down defense (.476). TTU held opponents to 14-or-fewer points five times, including in each of the season's final four games, helping lead the program to five-straight wins to end the 2024 season. Seven defensive student-athletes were named All-Big South-OVC selections, with defensive lineman Daniel Rickert, linebacker Cayman Spaulding, and defensive back Tim Coutras earning first-team recognition. During the 2024 season, Rickert and Gaines both earned Stats Perform National Defensive Player of the Week.
Gardner-Webb (2023)
2023: Served as Gardner-Webb’s co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Helped lead the Runnin’ Bulldogs to an OVC-Big South Football Association Championship and a berth in the 2023 FCS Playoffs after posting a 7-5 record and 5-1 mark in conference play. The Runnin’ Bulldogs ranked third in the FCS in tackles for loss (7.8), fourth in defensive touchdowns (4), and 15th in rushing defense (106.3). They ended the season with five-straight wins and outscored their final two opponents – Tennessee Tech and Charleston Southern – 69-10 to claim their second-straight postseason berth. Five defensive Runnin’ Bulldogs earned All-OVC-Big South recognition, with three – defensive lineman Ty French, linebacker William McRainer, and defensive back Ka’Kai Young – earning first-team honors.
Old Dominion (2022)
2022: Served as an assistant offensive line coach at Old Dominion. The Monarchs won three games during the 2022 season, with two coming in Sun Belt Conference play. The season was highlighted by a 20-17 victory against Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg during Week 1.
Wake Forest (2016-21)
2021: Second season as Wake Forest’s linebackers coach. The Demon Deacons had a school-record seven wins in Atlantic Coast Conference play and matched the program’s best season with 11 total victories, including a 38-10 win against Rutgers in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Wake Forest posted its most turnovers gained (29) since 2008, while its 38 sacks were the second-most in program history and the most since 1992. Additionally, linebacker Luke Masterson earned All-ACC Honorable Mention recognition.
2020: First season as Wake Forest’s linebackers coach came in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. The Demon Deacons won four games, including three in ACC play, and earned an appearance in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl – marking a program-record fifth-straight bowl appearance. Linebacker Ja’Cquez Williams led the Deacons with 73 total tackles and finished second on the team with 6.0 tackles for loss. Wake Forest led the ACC and ranked eighth in the FBS with a +1.11 turnover margin.
2019: Served as the Demon Deacons’ director of player personnel and recruiting. Helped the Deacons sign their highest-rated recruiting class in program history, which featured the two highest-rated recruits according to 247Sports, in four-star wide receivers Nolan Groulx and Donavon Greene.
2018: Spent the 2018 season as an offensive analyst for Wake Forest, which went 7-6 overall with a 3-5 record in ACC play and defeated Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl. The Demon Deacons ranked 28th in the FBS in total offensive per game (449.8), 26th in rushing offense (213.7), and 34th in scoring (32.8). Wide receiver Greg Dortch was seventh in the FBS with 7.4 receptions per game, 20th with 89.8 receiving yards per game, and 24th nationally with 1,078 total receiving yards.
2017: Second season as a defensive graduate assistant for the Demon Deacons, who went 8-5 with a 4-4 mark in ACC play and defeated Texas A&M in the Belk Bowl. Defensive back Essang Bassey ranked ninth in the FBS and second in the ACC with 1.5 passes defended per game, while Duke Ejiofor – a sixth-round draft pick by the Houston Texans – ranked 19th nationally and third in the ACC with 16.5 tackles for loss.
2016: First season on Wake Forest’s staff as a defensive graduate assistant. The Demon Deacons went 7-6 with a 3-5 record in ACC play and defeated Temple in the Military Bowl. Wake Forest was 23rd in the FBS in scoring defense (22.2), 18th in third-down defense (34.1), 22nd in redzone defense (.778), and 40th in total defense (370.5).
Cornell (2013-15)
2015: Third season as Cornell’s secondary coach and first as the team’s director of recruiting. The Big Red went 1-9 with a 1-6 record in the Ivy League; their lone victory was a 3-0 win over Columbia.
2014: Served as Cornell’s secondary coach. The Big Red led the Ivy League with 19 turnovers gained, led by Ivy League Rookie of the Year Nick Gesualdi, whose four interceptions were a freshman record, third in the Ivy League, and 25th in the FCS. Gesualdi also led the league’s freshmen in passes defended (8), tackles for loss (5.0), and sacks (2.0).
2013: Helped lead Cornell to three wins, including two Ivy League victories, during his first season in Ithaca, New York. Defensive back Michael Turner was named an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention after leading the team with three interceptions, six pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.
Kenyon College (2012)
2012: Served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Division III Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and helped the Lords to a 6-4 overall record and 5-2 record in the North Coast Athletic Conference after the program was winless in both the 2011 and 2010 seasons. The 2012 season also marked Kenyon’s first winning season since 2005. The Lords’ defense was second in the NCAC in scoring defense (18.0) and yards per game allowed (306.7). Linebacker Kolin Sillivan also earned Division III All-America honors after finishing fifth nationally with 74 solo tackles, 10th with 20.0 tackles for loss, and 25th with 108 total tackles.
Rhode Island (2011)
2011: Served as the cornerbacks coach at Rhode Island during the 2011 season.
Wilkes University (2010)
2010: Began his coaching career as the linebackers coach at Division III Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Freshman linebacker Tate Moore-Jacobs earned All-Eastern College Athletic Conference honors after leading the league with 130 tackles.
COLLEGIATE PLAYING CAREER (2006-09)
After redshirting during his freshman season in 2006, Jones went on to be a three-year starter for Bucknell at linebacker, where he made 30 starts and had 257 career tackles. An All-Patriot League selection as a senior, Jones’ 101 tackles and three interceptions in 2009 were best for second and fourth in the league, respectively.
