MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As we all know, the Michigan Wolverines lifted the College Football National Championship Trophy on Monday night. But what you might not know is one of those Wolverines is from South Memphis.
Former 4-star recruit Kody Jones began playing football for the Whitehaven Saints at the young age of four.
He won the state championship with the Havenview Middle School Tigers before beginning his high school career at Fairley.
Jones transferred to Germantown, where he was a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball.
After an exceptional high school career, Jones donned a Michigan cap on national signing day.
Throughout his career, Jones stayed humble.
“I thank God for putting me in this position because… it didn’t have to be me," Jones said.
The Michigan defensive back attributes a lot of his success to his loving parents Keith and Tangie Jones. After years of watching them dominate on the gridiron, both parents, along with Kody's brother Kevon, were in attendance for the national championship.
“Just to know where he has come from. Just the years that he has been playing just to come to this to a national championship," Kody's father, Keith Jones, said. "It was unbelievable.”
After years of love and support, his parents were able to share a moment with Jones that he will remember for the rest of his life.
"My parents have been there for me my whole life," Jones said. "I don't know how to describe it. My mom was just telling me. 'It's real, baby. It's real.' When she was telling me that it made me feel like... I just felt all the love and support from all the years. I've been playing football since I was four years old. They've been there for me and been there to support me. It is just a blessing."
Another one of his mentors, Gene Robinson, coached Jones for all four years in high school. Two at Fairley and two at Germantown. He said Jones becoming a national champion is no surprise.
“Things are going great for our program and started with a player like Kody Jones," Robinson, head football coach at Germantown High School, said. "You know, so it is no surprise that he’ll get on a Michigan team and that team goes on to win a national championship and that team is 15 and 0. And everything you hear about that team, you heard about Kody when he was in high school. So that’s the culture he is a part of, and that is no surprise.”
Jones realizes that what he is doing goes beyond the playing field. He wants to be an inspiration to kids in the Bluff City.
“I just want to show other kids… that it’s bigger than Memphis," said Jones. "If I did it, then they can do it. Anything is possible, and just because you from Memphis… Memphis don’t have the good name or whatever the situation is. It's not true. If I did it, anybody can do it.”