Top 26 storylines for 2016: No. 22 – Aaron Jones is back, baby

[caption id="attachment_24513" align="alignright" width="350"]Photo by Mary Scott McNabb Photo by Mary Scott McNabb[/caption] Before we really dive into why having running back Aaron Jones back healthy is a huge deal for UTEP, let’s take a step back and look at what he brings to the table for a second. At DCTF, we’re unabashed Jones fans. Just take a quick search for his name on our site, and you’ll see an endless array of tributes (and a few for his brother, Alvin, as well). It’s safe to say that Miners head coach Sean Kugler is a big fan, too, as the team’s offensive plans cratered the minute Jones was lost to an ankle injury early last season. In 2014, Jones ran for 1,321 yards (28th in FBS) on 242 carries (27th in FBS), racking up 11 scores on the ground while averaging 5.5 yards per rushing attempt. Before you scoff at those rankings, consider that among FBS running backs in Texas, he was first in rushing yards, and third in carries. He was just a sophomore, and was so productive on each carry, it was easy to understand why Kugler, molder of offensive lines, shaped a 2015 season plan around Jones as a workhorse. What followed when Jones went down seems predictable in hindsight. A 5-7 campaign became magnified when the offense looked listless without its backfield metronome, who followed it up by hitting a low point when he was arrested in the offseason for DWI. The Miners truly looked like a group on the verge of a big year when they had their legs pulled out from under them. Optimism has returned over the summer, thanks to Jones looking healthy again, and a few measures being put in place to ensure the ship doesn’t sink if its propeller goes down. New offensive coordinator Brent Pease is expected to provide a spark to the attack, and the search for a quarterback continues. But the reality is that all eyes are on the star running back, sizing up whether he can return to form as one of the most productive backs in the state. Jones is on the Maxwell and Doak Walker watch lists, depth at running back has already been hampered during preseason practices, and he’s the most proven runner outside of Shock Linwood at any of the Texas FBS schools. He’s critical to the Miners’ success, but for any diehard Texas football fan, he’s must-see viewing on Saturdays. He’s the kind of star UTEP doesn’t often produce, and the sport is better in this state when smaller programs are elevated via star power or success. Jones should give the program both this fall.