Christian Jones: 'I think Texas is back'
Christian Jones won’t be suiting up for the Longhorns next season, but he’s still talking about Texas. During Jones’ introductory press conference with the Arizona Cardinals last week, a reporter asked the offensive lineman if Texas was “back.” Jones couldn’t help but smile.
“Honestly, big shout out to Coach [Steve Sarkisian], for real,” Jones said. “Coach Sark came in to a ’21 team that really had no culture. All the growing pains and all that to turn it around in such a short time, we got rid of all the anchors and now we have straight oars.
“Everyone’s on the same mission, doing the same thing. Same mindset. Anyone who is not with it, they can get gone. For real. I think Texas is back, you feel me? Just off of culture alone.”
If anybody is in a position to talk about Texas’ transformation, it’s Jones. The Lone Star State native spent six seasons with the Longhorns, amassing 61 appearances and 48 starts.
When he joined the program in 2018, Tom Herman was still the head coach. Jones spent three seasons under Herman, slowly watching the Longhorns’ record get worse each year until the program fired Herman following the 2020 campaign.
Enter Sarkisian. Like most coaches during their first year at the helm, Sarkisian struggled. Texas finished the season with a 5-7 record and a 3-6 mark in conference play. Nonetheless, it didn’t take long before Sarkisian began to turn the program around.
In 2022, Texas boasted a much-improved 8-5 record. In 2023, the Longhorns went 12-2 and made their first appearance in the College Football Playoff. With loads of incoming talent from high school and the transfer portal, it doesn’t look like Texas plans on slowing down anytime soon.
Jones has full faith in his alma mater.
“Even hypothetically, on paper, or whatever happens this season, it’s not like what y’all believe, I’m not even worried about it because I know culture always wins,” Jones said. “I’m very excited for the future. I’m very excited to see what the O-line does. I’m excited to see Quinn (Ewers) and how he leads everybody, and the defense too, man. Everybody.
“I love coming back there,” Jones said. “That was my dream school and everyone there changed my life. Coach Kyle Flood changed my life. Coach Becton changed my life. Coach Sark changed my life. I’m forever indebted.”
Christian Jones will look to pay it forward this fall in his new home. The Arizona Cardinals drafted Jones in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Now, Jones will attempt to represent Texas on football’s biggest stage.