Story courtesy of the Northwest Conference
HILLSBORO, Ore. - Dylan Jones was a football and track & field student-athlete at Willamette from 2011 to 2015. An Environmental Science major, Jones thrived both in the classroom and in the field of play throughout his career as a Bearcat, earning two Northwest Conference 4x100 relay titles, setting a school record in yards rushed in a game (350), and interning with the city of Salem on a water quality initiative. Now serving as the Executive Director of One Cool Earth in Santa Maria, Calif., where he provides a garden-based education for public schools, Jones credits his balance of athletics and academics for his success following his time as a Bearcat.
You were a dual-sport student-athlete at Willamette, where you were a running back on the football team and a member of the track & field team. Tell us a bit about what it was like being a dual-sport athlete, and being a member of each program.
I think like a lot of student-athletes at the collegiate level I played multiple sports in high school as well. I typically was asked how I balanced school and sports. I found it was much easier to stay focused on school and athletics when I was playing a sport year-round. For me, it really helped add structure to my days. A lot of my friends who either only played one sport or none seemed to have more trouble keeping on top of academics when you didn't have times blocked out for athletics. It just kind of made me work on school in the free time I had. As for the culture, I think the two sports draw different people. Football is definitely a much more aggressive sport but one of the best parts about participating in both is that the competition and the desire to win is the same. Since I got to compete almost year-round I think it helped increase my game in both sports. Track also helped me stay a healthy weight in my football off-season.
You were a member of the football program during a time when they saw themselves consistently ranked in the top half of conference standings (several third and fifth-place finishes during your career). Talk a bit about the team culture of Willamette football and how this carried onto the field.
Any athlete reading this might agree that winning makes the game a bit more fun. The years I was there it all started in the offseason, in the weight room and without pads. A lot of coaches will agree with that but it's when the players really take the lead that you see success. We had a great mix of guys who were motivators in the weight room and were always pushing you to do better. Then there were others who were quiet but when they were on the field, they were playmakers. It can be challenging at the D-3 level staying focused on improving your game. A lot of guys on the team who had friends playing at the D-1 level, there were guys who started at Willamette and then went D-1. It can be disheartening sometimes but when you have a team that's so focused on getting better it's a lot easier to move past that. I of course have to say having Josh Dean was an amazing quarterback to play with and opened a lot of things up for the rest of the team.
In a career-defining game against Whitworth in 2015, you set a school record in rushing yard in a single game (350), with 30 carries and three touchdowns scored. You had an outstanding game, but Willamette ultimately fell to Whitworth. Describe your mindset following this game, knowing that you just set a school record, and had an incredible game, but the outcome wasn't what you had hoped? How did this fuel your and your team's performance throughout the remainder of the season?
My family will tell you, I really did not like losing, I was the definition of a sore loser. I remember the 8-hour bus ride home. I remember at the end of the game when we were huddled up and coach Tanner Smith announced my stats at the end of the game it was such a hollow feeling. I of course always wanted to have games like that but at the end of the day it's a team sport. When you walk away with a Loss, for me the stats didn't really matter, I just wanted to win. I think a lot of the guys on the team saw that, it might not have changed anything they were doing but I at least hope they saw that I was there for the team and for winning as a team. I think it helped us come together as a team when we played Linfield.
You were described as "one of the greatest running backs of all time at Willamette" by former Director of Athletics Dave Rigsby. What does it mean to you to be described as one of the greatest to wear the Bearcat jersey?
It's a real honor. Again, any current or former student-athlete will understand that when you have been working at something for so long and in that last year it really paid off, it's just a great feeling. I was able to hang up my cleats with no regrets... well less regrets. I started playing football when I was in 6th grade. It was something so important to me for so long and having a senior year like that, although we didn't win as many games as I would've hoped, I'm just so grateful.
What does Willamette University and Willamette athletics mean to you as an alumnus? Can you share a defining moment that resonates most with you during your time as a student-athlete at Willamette?
What do Willamette University and Willamette athletics mean to you as an alumnus?- I really feel for the senior classes during this pandemic. Athletics were such a big part of my life, it's hard for me to see my life growing up without them. I was never a good student so athletics gave me an opportunity to get a really good education. A moment that resonates is so difficult... from getting to travel to Tennessee and Texas, playing in the thunderstorm in Texas. Winning the 4x100 relay twice. But there are two that stand out, the first is my Freshman year when we played Puget Sound last game of the season. I realized it was the first game that one of my parents couldn't attend. It was a 12-hour trip from Santa Maria, CA. (where I'm from) at least to get to any game I played and one of my parents made it every time. It's moments like that where I felt incredibly blessed. The other is of course beating Linfield! Anybody in the Northwest Conference who plays or played football knows that Linfield was never a fun game. For the three years prior Linfield was the roughest team I ever had to play. They were just good! So going into McMinnville I was kind of dreading that game. But the energy on our team was different. I remember when Nick Brickous caught that interception on our own two-yard line and I all thought was "please fall into the endzone." He did not and when I had to go on the field with my heels on our goal line I just didn't want to get tackled for a safety. Then I noticed they overloaded the side we were running away from, when the ball was hiked, I got to show off why I ran track. Of course they then scored two quick touchdowns and I thought "It was fun while it lasted but I guess I'll never beat Linfield." Rivalry games have always been my favorite. It didn't feel like a rivalry since they had beaten us so bad year after year. I loved playing football, I enjoyed competing in track but it's the guys I got to play with that really made it special. And if Coach Foweles gets to read this, the score was 31-28.
Dylan Jones '15 - Running back, Sprinter, Scientist
Where are you now, and how did being a student-athlete impact your life after collegiate athletics?
I live back in my hometown of Santa Maria. Oct. 5th I will be celebrating my one-year marriage anniversary with my favorite person. I currently serve as the Executive Director of a non-profit called One Cool Earth. We partner with public schools to provide garden-based education. I've mentioned this a few times but athletics really help provide structure and a solid work ethic. I carry that with me today and never want to leave the job when there is work to be done. Being a Willamette student-athlete gave me a solid base of knowledge but also really helped me balance my life. I could never get overly involved with sports because I had to balance academics and vice versa. At the time, I thought that was harmful to my athletics, now I know that they really just strengthen each other. Balance is important. I also always love a little friendly competition.
