In the end, Sheriron Jones is right back where he began.
On Jan. 7 of this year, it was reported that Jones would be transferring from Tennessee to Colorado. Roughly two weeks later? Never mind. Pretend it never happened.
In a statement Friday afternoon, CU head coach Mike MacIntyre announced that he has granted Jones a release from his scholarship. MacIntyre’s reasoning is that "[w]e have concluded that it is in his best interests for him to return to Tennessee.”
“My job is to work with the whole person,” MacIntyre said in the statement. “Each player is unique and comes with unique needs and concerns. Throughout the past couple of weeks, Sheriron and I have spent a lot of time trying to sort out his circumstances.”
For what it’s worth, UT officials have yet to confirm that the quarterback is returning to Knoxville and the UT football team.
No reason was given for Jones’ initial departure from the Vols, nor is there any reason given for his decision to leave the Buffaloes. The good news is that Jones should be eligible to play for the Vols in 2016 despite the transfer as an NCAA rule permits players to return to their original institution within a two-week period and not have to sit out a season.
While Jones won’t compete for the starting job in 2016 -- Josh Dobbs has that on lockdown -- he is certainly capable of doing so in the future.
Jones was a four-star member of UT’s recruiting class a year ago, rated as the No. 10 dual-threat quarterback in the country and the No. 40 player at any position in the state of California. He was one of two quarterbacks signed in that class, joined by fellow four-star signee Jauan Jennings.
Jones took a redshirt his true freshman season.