Pandemic prompts touted quarterback to leave Wichita, enroll early at Missouri Western
Reagan Jones was doing everything he could to get an advantage in his new life of college football, and at least to some degree, that work was wasted.
Jones was a Top 11 selection and two-time All-Metro quarterback at Wichita Northwest High. In his two seasons with the Grizzlies, he led them to back-to-back state championship games for the first time in school history, and he earned a scholarship to Missouri Western State University.
When he transferred to Northwest from Andover Central, he had already decided to graduate early if possible; then he watched Breece Hall do it. Hall left Northwest one semester into his senior year. He didn’t play basketball and instead proceeded to Iowa State early, learned the Cyclones’ playbook in the spring and by fall was one of the best freshman running backs in Division I football.
“His adventure showed that spring ball helped him a lot,” Jones said. “He talked to me a lot, and it helped push me in that direction.”
So when Jones left Northwest at the end of the first semester, he hoped to make an impression on his college coaches right away. The starting job at Missouri Western taken, and Jones is competing alongside former Bishop Carroll quarterback Braden Howell on the depth chart.
Spring camp is the most valuable time for non-starters in college, as snaps are divided more evenly, so when Jones came home for spring break he was about a week away from what he graduated early for.
“We did some 7-on-7 drills before I left, and I felt like I was getting better and winning those plays,” Jones said. “They extended spring break, and I thought spring camp would get pushed back a week.”
After that second week, however, he was in a group meeting when his new offensive coordinator told him the team probably wasn’t going to meet again until fall. Then the president of the university announced that all spring sports were canceled.
“I thought, ‘Well, I basically just graduated early for nothing,’ ” Jones said.
Of course Jones’ plan wasn’t a complete waste. All Kansas high schools have been closed for about a month, and lessons have been taught online. Classmates’ only interactions are through video calls. So had Jones stayed at Northwest for another semester, most of his time would have been spent in his living room anyway.
His former coach, Northwest’s Steve Martin, said enrolling early at Missouri Western was still the right choice.
“He got a taste of how things work,” Martin said. “Just to be able to get your foot on campus and get the transition out of the way and be able to compete, it all helps. You know Reagan, he’s a special kid, and that limited experience is going to be able to help him even if he doesn’t see it now.”
Jones said he hopes he can head back to St. Joseph, Missouri, soon, but the fear of a fall without football is starting to creep in. He is already further behind than he thought he would be heading into the summer and is trying not to think about another setback, he said.
He, along with most other high school, college and professional athletes, is finding creative ways to stay in shape. Jones said he has tried sneaking onto fields to throw and add 15 pounds of muscle through in-home workouts.
“I’m just ready to be around the guys again,” Jones said. “You can only hope for the best. Whatever happens, happens. It’s all for a reason.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 2:19 PM.