Bishop O’Dowd coach Napoleon Kaufman knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful running back, after his stellar career with the Washington Huskies and the Oakland Raiders. So when he elevated Austin Jones to the starting position as a freshman, there was very little doubt Jones would be successful.

Jones cracked the 100-yard mark in seven different games this season, and finished the year with 1,370 yards and 12 touchdowns, making him the easy selection for NCS Freshman of the Year. And like all great athletes, many of Jones’ top performances came against the best competition on the Dragons’ schedule.

The freshman shined in a playoff victory over Alhambra, carrying the ball 28 times for 159 yards. Earlier in the season, he ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns in a six-point win over Encinal, and 176 yards in a one-point loss to league champion San Leandro.

With such a great start to his career, and a great mentor guiding him along his path, all eyes will be on Jones when he starts the 2016 season as one of the featured backs in the North Coast Section.