Steven Jones announced himself with a warlike rattle then settled down to work

 

BRANG!

The loud metallic clang echoed in the oppressive summer air, ominous and authoritative, like a young bull testing the strength of a metal gate.

BRANG!

The contraption rocked. Strained at the bolts. A coach rode it, his face frozen in a rictus of joy, amazement, disbelief, Ahab watching leviathan plunge his ship into the boiling deep.

BRANG!

It rang out again over Autzen Stadium in late July 2017, not a bull or leviathan, but Steven Jones on the blocking sled at Saturday Night Live, breaking down the gateway to college football.

Jones committed to the Ducks a few days later on August 2nd. A fifth-year senior now, powerful and dependable, 6-5, 340 from Chaparall High School in Temecula, California, he started all 13 games in 2021, four last year while overcoming injuries.

Jones has played left tackle, right guard and right tackle for the Ducks. He became an emergency starter at left tackle on the road at Utah as a true freshman in 2018. The next week against UCLA he earned the highest grade in the league from PFF, no penalties, no sacks. After last year's injury he didn't allow a pressure in his last two starts, the OSU rivalry game and the comeback Holiday Bowl win over North Carolina. 

Saturday Dan Lanning said, "He's attacked it every single day. You know, and the good thing about Steve is he provided some position flexibility. He's been at tackle. He's been a guard, maybe not as much as seen in games, but we've been able to move around at different spots in practice. I mean, he has great experience, but he's done a good job."

Jones is a hard worker who rarely calls attention to himself, except on that sweltering summer night he first came to Eugene. Ever since then, it's been about the team and doing the work.