Fred Jones - Football Coach - University of Toledo Athletics

Fred Jones

Title:
Running Backs Coach
Email:
freddie.jones@utoledo.edu

Fred Jones joined the Toledo football coaching staff as the running backs coach in December of 2025. Jones will coach alongside head coach Mike Jacobs for the third season of his coaching career in 2026.

Jones oversaw the rushing attack at Mercer that averaged nearly 167 yards per game on the ground for the last four seasons. The Bears also saw their first 1,000-yard back in 2024 when All-American Dwayne McGee amassed a school record 1,187 yards on the ground.

Prior to Mercer, Jones served as the running backs coach (2015-16) and offensive coordinator (2017-21) at Reinhardt. The Eagles totaled 71 victories with Jones on staff and saw 40 offensive all-conference accolades, including six All-Americans. Reinhardt won seven-straight conference titles from 2015-21 and appeared in the 2017 national championship game.

Reinhardt averaged 278.0 yards/game on the ground with Jones leading the running back room during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. From 2017-21, Jones helped the Eagles compile a 49-9 overall record behind an offensive attack that averaged 415.8 yards, including 342 yards on the ground, and 39.1 points per game.

Jones began coaching as an assistant running backs coach at Tusculum during the 2012 season and then spent the next two-plus seasons in various roles on the staff at Clark Atlanta.

A native of Appling, Ga., Jones played four seasons at Tusculum (2007-11) as a running back. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2013. Fred and his wife Shannin have two children, Lee and Naomi.