MIAMI ( Sept. 5, 2018) - FIU running backs coach Tim Harris likes to good-naturedly rib running back Anthony Jones about his "speed" from time to time.

Last Saturday after a touchdown run against Indiana was probably not one of those times.

Jones, who was playing in his first game since undergoing knee surgery last year, made a slick move on a Hoosiers linebacker and darted 36 yards for a touchdown outrunning the Indiana defense.

"I tried to turn on my speed because coach Harris is always messing with me about my speed," said a smiling Jones. "I tried to turn it on a little bit. I tried to set the linebackers up. The o-line did a great job of getting to their guys. I saw a lane and I hit it."

Jones was a hit in his first game back since 2016. The redshirt senior rushed for 88 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Jones, who was second on the team with 562 rushing yards and 4 TDs in 2016, dedicated himself to coming back stronger for his final collegiate season.
Jones upped his squat from 540 to 570 pounds, increased his bench press from 325 to 340 pounds and raised his vertical jump from 33 to 36.5 inches.
Jones also trimmed his body fat from 17.1 to 7.6 percent and dropped 25 pounds to weigh 202.

Never sustaining a major injury before, Jones found solace in that his brother, Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook went through a similar injury last season.

Cook tore his anterior cruciate ligament after his fourth NFL game in his rookie season of 2017. The brothers were rehabbing during similar time frames.

"He said take rehab seriously," said Jones of the advice Cook gave him. "Make sure you take no days off on the rehab because if you don't take your rehab serious you could re-injure your injury. You have to keep the faith."

Besides running the ball well against Indiana, Jones did other facets of the game – that don't get the notoriety – well.

"He looked like his old self," FIU head coach Butch Davis said. "I thought he was explosive. I thought he ran with power. The thing that I was probably equally as impressed with is what he did on blitz pick-up and pass protection. He was physical. He stepped up. Sometimes it was blocking a corner, sometimes it was chipping on a defensive end, sometimes it was picking up a linebacker. I was very pleased with the way he played."

The deep FIU running back corps has helped Jones. With a variety of talented options to carry the ball, Jones doesn't need to feel pressure to be the main back.

"They don't have to play 60-70 plays a game," said Harris of the FIU backs. "You can keep them all fresh. They all benefit from it and they all know that. They know when they get out there my opportunities are not going to be gigantic but when I do get them I'm fresh and I got to make them count."

Jones certainly did in the season opener.