Derek Jones Recalls Time Steve Kragthorpe Offered Him A Job Based On Interview With His Wife

Current Virginia Tech cornerbacks coach Derek Jones has his wife to partially thank for helping him rise up the college football coaching ladder and getting a job under the recently passed Steve Kragthorpe.

Kragthorpe was a longtime college football coach who was an assistant at many stops and a head coach at Tulsa and Louisville in the 2000s. Unfortunately, he passed away this week following a battle with Parkinson's disease. But in wake of the news, there's been an outpouring of tributes for Kragthorpe, including a touching one from Jones.

Jones was a player at Ole Miss in the '90s but went into coaching afterward, and landed with Kragthorpe in 2006. But the way it went down was quite unique compared to the usual hiring process. He tweeted out the story on Tuesday morning following Kragthorpe's passing.

"Coach Steve Kragthorpe hired me without knowing me when I was out of a job in 2006 at the University of Tulsa," remembered Jones.

"I interviewed for the job at the AFCA National Convention in Dallas. When he found out my wife was coming with me he asked me to bring her by to meet him and the DC Coach Keith Patterson."

Mrs. Jones didn't know it, but she would then become the biggest help to her husband getting the job.

"When we arrived at the interview, Coach K preceded to interview my wife for about 30 minutes before we ever started talking football," he said. "He called me the following night to offer me the job and later told me a big reason I got the job was because of the impression my wife made on him in the interview and how some of her answers painted a picture to him of the type of man I was."

Jones says he admired that respect to his wife from Coach Kragthorpe, and added that Steve Kragthorpe was always a good man.

"I’m forever grateful to him for giving me an opportunity, but for also confirming the importance of the presence of my spouse professionally," Jones said. "Our time at Tulsa created other life-long relationships which resulted in me accepting a job at Texas Tech in 2019.

"When I think of Coach K, I think of his composure and honesty as a leader and his kindness as a person. He was truly a good man. Thank you for being a part of our journey and allowing us to be a part of yours. RIP Coach."

Touching words and a nice story from Derek Jones following the death of his former boss.

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