Announcing a new coach days before the season opener is hardly conventional, but Staples Football is embracing the unexpected. The Wreckers have added former Ohio State National Championship-winning quarterback Cardale Jones as their QB coach, giving the team a major-name boost ahead of Westhill on September 10.

“Staples Football would like to welcome Coach Cardale Jones to the Coaching Staff as the QB Coach. Coach Jones led Ohio State to a National Championship as starting QB, before playing four seasons in the NFL. Coach Jones currently works for CBS Sports. GO WRECKERS,” Staples Football wrote on this official X handle.

After a successful high school career at Glenville High School under head coach Ted Ginn Sr., Jones joined the Buckeyes for his college football journey.

However, he remained third on the quarterback depth chart behind Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett until he found his calling during the 2014 season, after Barrett suffered an ankle injury.

Cardale Jones didn’t need a season to become an Ohio State legend. Three starts were enough. A 59-0 rout of Wisconsin set the tone. Then came No. 1 Alabama, where Jones helped pull off a stunning 42-35 upset. Oregon was next, and Ohio State finished the job, winning 42-20 to claim the national championship.

The Buckeyes captured their first national title in over a decade under Urban Meyer. He then considered turning pro but ultimately decided to return to Ohio State. The following year, he went 8–0 as a starter before being benched in favor of J.T. Barrett midway through the season.

During his three seasons at Ohio State from 2013 to 2015, Jones appeared in 23 games, throwing for 2,209 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also added four rushing touchdowns.

In fact, even after his collegiate career, there were many more stops before on August 31, when the announcement was made.

Following his collegiate career, Jones was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 139th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He appeared in just one game for the Bills before spending time with the Los Angeles Chargers and later joining the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad.

He later signed with the DC Defenders in the XFL, the Edmonton Elks in the CFL, and the Massachusetts Pirates in indoor football. After his playing career, he spent some time working as an analyst before co-opening a training facility in Columbus with former Ohio State staffer Eric Lichter.

There, he offered coaching clinics, boot camps, and specialized sessions for young athletes, including quarterback training programs designed to develop their skills and help them plan for life after football.

Staples Football might have seen how capable Jones was at working with the next generation of athletes, which may have led the program to offer him the quarterback coach position just as the season was about to begin.

Now that he is a crucial part of the Buckeyes’ team, will he be able to help them thoroughly? Urban Meyer might have the answer.

Urban Meyer Knew Cardale Jones Was Something Special

Winning the 2014 national championship looked increasingly difficult for Urban Meyer and Ohio State after the team lost former starting quarterback Braxton Miller before the season, followed by J.T. Barrett’s injury against Michigan.

The situation was so challenging that Meyer believed their title hopes were slipping away until Cardale Jones stepped up and took control of the team over the final three games. Interestingly, Meyer did not have much confidence in him until Jones proved himself on the field.

“I want to say it politically correct, but no way in hell could we do that,” Meyer said of Jones taking them to a title game, via Cardale and Beanie Wells’ podcast. “But I’ve also credited Cardale to this day. There should be some kind of plaque, statue, or something for what he did. It was unprecedented, and I know the Buckeyes went on a great run a couple of years ago, but that was, in my mind, one of the greatest runs in college football history.”

For Meyer to have such high praise for him is quite a compliment, and it showcases just how trustworthy an individual he is. However, his stint at Staples will be put to the test this season. Will he be able to navigate his first coaching stint successfully? Only time will tell.