LSU free safety Jones plans to keep close tabs on McCluster

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 18, 2009 - Page: 1C

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College football players say the darndest things.

Take LSU junior Chad Jones, for instance.

Before the season when Jones spoke about his new role as the starting free safety, he tossed out the word “free-lance” to describe his responsibilities.

Uh-oh.

“I don’t know if freelance is exactly the word,” Tigers coach Les Miles said Monday when asked if that aspect of Jones’ role fit well this week as LSU prepares for the challenge of slowing down Ole Miss star Dexter McCluster.

“Any time you put your free safety in the middle of that field, you count on him to make plays. He has to come up big.”

In Jones’ case, that’s certainly been true.

Jones has recorded 59 tackles, fourth on the team, with a pair of interceptions and four pass breakups.

And with one of the tougher tests of the season on tap for the Tigers defense this week, Jones will have to play a major role if LSU has designs on keeping the mercurial McCluster in check.

It certainly wouldn’t hurt if Jones, one of the Tigers’ freest spirits, can put his freelance skills to work.

First, allow Jones to explain.

“What I mean by freelance is I don’t have to be a in a certain spot and be focused on one man,” Jones said with a smile.

“I can kind of move around and trick the quarterback. But you always have to keep your eye on those key players. Playing safety, I can have my eyes on everybody.”