COLUMBUS — Maryland’s graduate transfer linebacker Keandre Jones returned to Ohio Stadium for the first time on Saturday as a member of the opposing team.
Jones, a Maryland native, spent three years at Ohio State and played in 33 games for the Buckeyes from 2016 to 2018. He played in all 28 games for the back-to-back Big Ten Champion Buckeyes in 2017 and 2018 and finished his Ohio State career with 29 total tackles.
He transferred to Maryland in the spring and has since become Maryland’s third-leading tackler this season with 53 tackles and leads the team with 12.0 tackles-for-loss, which is fifth-most in the Big Ten.
Jones finished the game on Saturday with eight total tackles and one sack.
While he certainly wished for a better outcome for his new team, being back in Ohio Stadium, facing his former teammates, and being in the visitors’ locker room for the first time was a heartwarming experience.
On the field after the game, the Buckeyes surrounded Jones and spent some time catching up with him.
In turn Jones, asked the Buckeyes to go win the National Championship.
The Buckeyes mob former teammate Keandre Jones. Jones asks them for one favor. pic.twitter.com/pLQZA2z6e5
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) November 9, 2019
“It was a great opportunity for me to come back and be in front of my old teammates and see those guys after the game,” Jones said. “I kind of got surprised with all of them running up to me, it was a great feeling and I’m just happy to be in this position to face my old teammates. It was a great job by them and hopefully they have success for the rest of the season.”
Jones gave three years to the Ohio State University and most of those hours and days were spent with the teammates coming up to greet him after the game.
“It was a great feeling just to see those guys,” Jones said. “Guys I mentored — the 2017 class and my class is still there, the 2016 class, and all of the strength coaches. I put in a lot of time, three years to this program so it’s a great feeling to feel that love and support from this University.”
It was also the first time since he left that he has seen many of his former teammates.
“That was the first time I got to see a bunch of those guys,” he said. “It was actually a bit emotional for me, but I held my ground.”
Watch the Buckeyes show some love to Keandre Jones.
I hope to see a similar celebration with Joe Burrow after Ohio State wipes the field against LSU in the National Championship Game!
it was a teensy amusing to read the headline about our “warm welcome” for Keandre… be fore we “dominated & humiliated” him… er, ‘them’.
i do agree the former behavior ought to be the standard… and the latter reserved for those individuals / teams that have “earned it”, so to speak.
IMO
love seeing this–i love the brotherly love of this OSU team and respect for players who aren’t with the Buckeyes anymore…..this kind of heart mixed with the talent and coaching is going to get this team a long , long way.
Warms my heart.
Nice story and class by OSU. Does anyone know if #5 Browning played in this game as I do not remember seeing him this game. Harrison and Borland looked good at LB today.
Looks like Browning was held out, but he dressed. Austin Mack did not dress. He was a game-time decision.
Total class action taken by the team members that appreciated KJ for the person he is, and the effort he gave as a player for those 3 yrs he was with the Buckeyes. The closeness of this team is truly something to watch and admire in college sports. In the spirit of one game at a time, Beat Rutgers!!! next Sat.