By: Justin Lafleur

Dartmouth gave Q Jones an opportunity even after suffering a serious injury in high school.

In the end it turned out to be a perfect match for everyone.

Read more about tomorrow’s Senior Day Q Jones’ story, his journey to Dartmouth, how he learned and grew and more!

Full story ➡️ https://t.co/geXdh8LfAH#GoBigGreen #TheForest pic.twitter.com/TDwI86vHdR

— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) November 22, 2024

“The journey to Dartmouth was honestly one of the hardest processes I’ve ever been through…just because of my storyline,” he said. “My sophomore year of high school, I was peaking as a player and as a student-athlete, and towards the end of the season I broke my leg. At that time we were competing for a conference championship. My injury was definitely a blow in stomach for my team, because I was a big contributor, but also for myself, because I was in discussions with a number of Division I (FBS) schools.”

Unfortunately, Jones’ return journey from injury did not go smoothly. He went a full season without playing before COVID-19 struck during his senior year. His team’s season was shortened due to COVID, but he took advantage of his opportunity.

“I ended up leading the statistics for running backs in the state of Colorado,” he said. “Then I was introduced to Dartmouth.”

Dartmouth assistant coach Cheston Blackshear first contacted Jones, sparking the connection.

“As someone from the West Coast, I didn’t know much about the East Coast and Dartmouth,” Jones said. “At first I wasn’t that interested because I had visions of playing Power 5 ball. But I did more research on Dartmouth, and when I was recruited by Coach Blackshear, and did whatever it took to get into Dartmouth, I started to learn more about this special place that alumni call home.

“While talking to my family, friends and people who know about the Ivy League and Dartmouth, it became clear that this was the place I wanted to be.”

Big Green, the late legendary head coach Buddy Teevens, played a crucial role in Jones’ recruitment and Dartmouth experience.

The most important thing was that Teevens and the Big Green gave Jones a chance.

“A lot of schools don’t take kids with serious traumatizing injuries like I did,” Jones said. “During the recruiting process, he came in, sat me down and said, we’re going to take people who are injured and we’re going to help you develop and help you become a great athlete.”

Before that moment, Jones had mostly heard that he wouldn’t be the same player he was before he broke his leg.

That is, until Dartmouth came along.

“Coach T gave me that kind of confidence and honestly inspired me to go even harder my freshman year; he pushed me every day,” Jones said. ‘I went to his office and he helped me with things that the average person wouldn’t do.

“That says a lot about his character,” Jones continued. “A coach like that means so much to his players.”

Teevens certainly meant so much to Jones, including in his adjustment to Dartmouth.

“Coach T was a special person,” Jones said.

“When I came to Dartmouth, that was the first time I had ever been to the East Coast and this whole new area,” Jones said. “He brought me here with welcoming arms and treated myself and the rest of my teammates like his son. He pretty much raised us and embedded life skills — and everything he stood for — into us.”

Some of the things Teevens taught his players were sitting at the front of the classroom, introducing themselves to the professor, meeting people, being valuable members of the campus community and more.


They are things that Jones will carry with him forever and as he said, “embed it in my lifestyle because Coach T was a great human being.”


“For people who had the opportunity to get to know Coach T personally, there was something special about the way he made you feel and the confidence he gave you,” Jones said. “That was very important to me, to come to this unknown place and try to build a life.”


By building his life at Dartmouth, Jones is also a trailblazer.


“Family is important to me, and I’m a big believer in bringing people into what you’re going through in life,” he said. “With this opportunity to go to an Ivy League school, I understood that I had no family members here who were alumni, let alone an Ivy League school. I’m pretty much the only one, aside from my sister now, who went to an institution and actually stepped onto campus.”


Jones understood what Dartmouth would do not only for his football career, but for his life.


“If you compete and do business on the football field, you can pursue your dreams, but if football doesn’t work out, you have an Ivy League degree to back you up,” he said. “A lot of institutions don’t have that. A lot of institutions might be heavy on education or football. And I’m privileged to have both here.


“I understood that I could change the trajectory of my family’s lives in the future.”


Jones has enjoyed a distinguished career for the Big Green, improving each season. He went from 410 rushing yards as a sophomore to 572 as a sophomore and now 647 as a junior, including multiple Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week honors.


“From a football standpoint, I’ve gotten faster and stronger,” Jones said. “I have better awareness on the court. With the weight room, the way coach (Spencer) Brown trains us and how we approach each day has helped me significantly. I’ve been able to create a schedule for myself while holding myself accountable.”


It is safe to say that the standard within the Dartmouth football program is very high.


“…Especially when you come in as a freshman and win an Ivy League championship,” Jones said. “My class knew the standard because I saw how the seniors played my freshman year and how important games were for them. In my freshman year we went 9-1, but in the one game we lost you could see the pain which lay on the faces of the people.”


During Jones’ time, the Big Green won another championship in 2023 and had another shot at another title heading into the final game of 2024. Individually, Jones was named honorable mention All-Ivy last season and should be on the list to stand. is running for postseason honors this year.


“The most important thing with Q is his development, year after year after year, and his maturity,” he said Sammy McCorkleRobert L. Blackman Head Football Coach. “It’s all the extra work he’s done in the offseason, being here in the summer and really trying to improve his game — getting stronger, faster and faster.”


McCorkle, who is in his second season as head coach but 19th year with the program, also points to Jones’ understanding of the game and his dedication to improvement.


“He was never satisfied,” McCorkle said. “He wanted to be one of the better backs in the league and he did everything he could to achieve that. He is showing that he is one of the better in the league.”


Dartmouth committed itself to Jones, and Jones has returned the favor and remained true to this special place in the woods of New Hampshire.


“When I was accepted to Dartmouth in early decision and ultimately fell in love with this place, I was committed to Dartmouth,” he said. “In the Ivy League, we don’t sign a real National Letter of Intent. I probably had two or three other Power 5 schools calling my high school head coach.


“He asked what I wanted to do, and I told him I was committed to Dartmouth.”


That dedication to Dartmouth, and all it has to offer, has pushed Jones outside his comfort zone.


“Dartmouth gives you so many opportunities to be yourself and grow,” he said. “My teammates, coaches and pretty much everyone around me pushed me to get involved in this community. I have been able to be a part of one of the largest fraternities, if not the largest fraternity, and be a part of multiple clubs. on campus.


“Coming here, I wouldn’t say I was shy, but I certainly wasn’t a kid who would be overly involved,” Jones continued. “Now I’m part of too many clubs, producing for the football team and just trying to be a great person. I feel like this all comes from everything I’ve learned from this community.”


Jones plans to graduate early from Dartmouth at the end of the fall term, then transfer to another program to begin his next degree. One day he hopes to enter the NFL Draft where he can pursue his dreams.


“That’s what I’ve worked so hard for over the last 10-plus years,” he said. “If that doesn’t work out, there are obviously other leagues like the XFL and USFL.”


When Jones’ football days are over, he plans to work in real estate.


“I’m big on entrepreneurship,” he said. “I don’t really want to work 9 to 5, so I want to create a lifestyle for myself. I’m fortunate to have a lot of connections here at Dartmouth. Being able to work with people and build those relationships has changed my life. “


Jones also changed the lives of those around him.


“Over the years, Jones has done speaking engagements and represented our football program in various capacities,” McCorkle said. “He realized that it’s not just about the football part. It’s about growing as a person.”


That’s exactly what Dartmouth did for him.


Jones’ loyalty has paid off.