Editor's Note: With the first Black and Gold Spring Game just weeks away and less than 183 days remaining until Kennesaw State kicks off its inaugural football season, KSUOwls.com is running a weekly segment featuring members of the football team. It will appear each Wednesday on KSUOwls.com. Julianne Pham sat down with defensive lineman Luther Jones earlier this week for a one-on-one Q&A.

Earlier this week, KSU opened spring practice in preparation for The Black and Gold Game on March 28 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. The Owls will play their first game on Sept. 3 at East Tennessee State.

Defensive tackle Luther Jones recently sat down with KSUOwls.com to talk about his experience as a student-athlete at Kennesaw State. The Blairsville, Ga. native is pursuing a degree in secondary history education. He plans on working as a special education teacher and high school football coach.

KSUOwls.com: How did you hear about KSU Football?
Luther Jones: I heard about KSU Football when one night I got a call from Coach (Liam) Klein, my position coach. He invited me to come down for Flight Night for the men's basketball team. I came down and didn't know much about the program, but I fell in love with it and got the offer later that night from Head Coach (Brian) Bohannon. I prayed a lot about it.

KSU: What was the deciding factor that made you sign with KSU Football?
LJ: The coaching staff. The coaching staff is really good at recruiting. Some schools lie to you about things during the recruiting process, but everything here has been true. They're very religious men, which I like a lot. We pray after every practice and that's a big thing in my life.  

KSU: When you told your friends and family that you were signing here, how did they react?
LJ: They supported me. They didn't really know about Kennesaw State. They knew we had a good baseball team, but they were happy that I was going to be on a starting Division I program and in the first signing class.

KSU: What keeps you motivated to get up every day and play ball for KSU?
LJ: I want to make my family and hometown proud.

KSU: What goals have you set for both the team and yourself in the upcoming season?
LJ: Our team strives for excellence, so the goal is to go out there and win as many ballgames as we can and hopefully win the Big South Conference our first year. For myself, I want to be all-conference as a freshman. I just want to do everything I can to help the team win.

KSU: How do you get game ready?
LJ: I go into a mode. I don't talk, I put my music in. I don't step on the (field) lines. I do all kinds of traditions and stuff and right before kickoff, I come out of that mode and it's time to go.

KSU: What does your number mean to you?
LJ: I've had it since high school and my dad really liked that. My dad passed away in October, so now that's the meaning to me. Sixty-five represents me and my dad.

KSU: What is your favorite thing about KSU?
LJ: The environment for football. People of not just Kennesaw, but Cobb County are ready for football and are always telling us how proud they are of us, saying "Go Owls", I mean that gives you chill bumps every time. The environment that surrounds football and the housing on campus are really nice, which is a plus for me.

KSU: What's the funniest thing that has happened on the team so far?
LJ: One day, (defensive lineman) Devonte Bedford and I were going for a tackle and Devonte misses it. All of a sudden, you see the kid seven or eight yards down still running and Devonte is on one knee, just sitting there because he was out of breath. We all had a good laugh about that in the film room.

KSU: If we were to open up your iTunes right now, what would be the last three songs you listened to? 
LJ: The Dance by: Garth Brooks, Lonely by: Speaker Knockerz and Try me by: Dej Loaf

KSU: How do you like to spend your free time?
LJ: I'm from the mountains so I like to go fishing and hunting. I haven't found a place around here, but whenever I get the chance to go home, I fish and shoot.

KSU: What is your favorite thing about game day?
LJ:  Running out of the tunnel and seeing all of your family and friends who are ready to see you play. It really gets you going to where you know it's time to go.

KSU: What was your most memorable high school honor?
LJ: I was first-team All-State my junior and senior year, but it's a different game in Division I football. They're good, but I mean, once you get here, it is new goals from there.
KSU: Tell me a fun fact about yourself.
LJ: I'm really goofy and I like to play pranks on people.

KSU: Describe your experience here in five words.
LJ: Fun, exciting, exhausting, hard, commitment.

KSU: What kind of legacy are you determined to leave on the KSU football program?
LJ: I want to be that guy that people can look to if they ever needed anything and to be that guy that does his job on the field and just a guy that people could come to if they had a problem. I want to leave a legacy like that.

KSU: How do you define success?
LJ: How bad do you want it?

Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium is the home of women's soccer, women's lacrosse and football, which will play its inaugural season in 2015.
 
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