Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
By Daniel Hill
Sports Writer
In the first quarter of the Bears’ 48-23 win over Sam Houston State, Baylor kicker Aaron Jones made program history.
With 13:00 minutes to play in the first quarter, Jones hit a 33-yard field goal to give Baylor a 3-0 lead.
While it was simply a field goal, it was momentous because it made Aaron Jones the all-time leading scorer in all of Baylor football history. With the made field goal, Jones surpassed Alfred Anderson’s career total of 220 points.
“It means a lot,” Jones said. “It is a huge honor to put my name in the record books. This school has done so much for me, and I just really appreciate my team, the coaches and the opportunity.”
When the Baylor victory was final, Jones had reached 230 career points with two field goals and six successful extra points.
Baylor head coach Art Briles, famous for the unique nicknames that he adorns to his players, bestowed the nickname of “Stork” on Jones in the spring of 2010.
During the offseason of 2010 is when the “Stork” nickname really started to stick.
Most people probably wouldn’t prefer to be compared to a bird that is long-legged, odd and involved in baby stories, but Jones isn’t fazed by the nickname.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Jones said. “It’s just one of those things, you go with it. Coach Briles is full of them [nicknames.] Everybody seems to like it, so it’s OK with me.”
Jones is only a junior and has plenty of time and opportunities to keep adding to his all-time scoring lead and memorable Baylor career.
“I’m very confident in myself,” Jones said. “Zach [Northern]the snapper and Brody [Trahan] the holder fit really good. We got one blocked tonight but that happens. We missed a short one, but find a kicker who says he hasn’t done it, you’ll find a liar. It happens to everybody. We’ll just go back to practice tomorrow and get working.”
The nature of kicking is two-sided.
The kicker is either the hero or the goat. If the kicker makes the kick, well, then he was supposed to make it. If the kicker misses, then he takes all the blame.
A former Baylor kicker helped Jones with an inspirational message after a tough loss to A&M.
“Somebody that really helped me out was Trey Weir,” Jones said. “He kicked here a while back. After the A&M game, my redshirt freshmen year, it was a rough game. I went 1-4, had one blocked. It was a bad game. The worst game I’ve played at Baylor. He sent me a note through our coaches, sort of just a confidence booster. He said, ‘Keep your head up, hang in there, you’re a good kicker, and you can get back.’ I keep that in my locker still, and I read it occasionally and it really picks me up and makes me feel good about myself.”
