'I wish we could relive that': Former Mizzou fullback still excited about Border War visit with son
CREVE COEUR, Mo. — Missouri asked Ron Janes to attend its Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame induction this past Friday.
Janes, a former fullback for the Tigers, got appointed the job of helping Class of 2025 inductee Brock Olivo put on his honorary jacket. But even with a tight bond spanning nearly three decades, Janes passed on the opportunity to be with his son in a crucial game.
Ridge Janes, the lone son of Ron and No. 92 overall recruit in the 2028 class, suited up for a rivalry contest between St. Louis (Mo.) De Smet and St. Louis (Mo.) University. Although not ending as planned for De Smet in a 31-14 loss, Ron, the Spartans’ running back coach, wanted to be there for his players.
“I couldn’t make it because of this game, which I’m not missing this game for anything,” Ron said Friday. “My running back, Cam Sharp, played awesome tonight.”
As De Smet fell to 1-2, Ron still found a positive in his past week as he reminisced on the Border War. With the rivalry renewed for the first time since 2011, Ron took the contest in with Ridge, the top tight end target for Missouri in the 2028 class.
“It was special to me, because that’s my school, and that’s what made me into a man,” Ron said. “(Ridge) has got his own decisions to make. I told him, just because I went there and it meant so much to me, he’s on his own path. He’ll find that and make that decision down the road. But I will tell you that day would be very hard to beat from a game day perspective.”
Janes family arrives for Border War
As the Ridge, Ron and Angie stepped into the Missouri football facilities, tight ends coach Derham Cato approached them about using 12 personnel. Then on the first play of the game for Missouri, junior tight end Brett Norfleet caught a pass for 14 yards after hurdling a Kansas defender.
“He could not have been nicer,” Ron said. “That guy, after the game, Ridge got to meet him.”
Walking through campus, seeing former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow on SEC Nation and bumping into friends left and right, Ron still buzzed about the experience nearly a week later. Ridge took photos with Norfleet and former Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel among others to further capture a meaningful recruiting visit for his family.
“I wish we could relive that. As you can tell in my voice, I’m still pumped,” said Ron, who still sports the nickname “Rhino”. “From a dad’s perspective, an old Tiger’s perspective, that day was perfect. It could not have been any better for us to go there and experience what we did the way it was, the weather, everything. It was absolutely perfect. It’s what I always wanted to happen.”
