Q&A: How Duke Football’s Derek Jones wins the game of social media
This month, we huddled with Duke Football assistant coach Derek Jones. With over 29,000 followers on Twitter, @DukeCoachDJ shares his 140-character advice with student-athletes and coaches around the globe. He’s one of our favorite coaches to follow and a Wall of Fame role model. Get the scoop below on what goes through his head when it comes to social media.
Duke Football player hugs assistant coach Derek Jones
So when did you start using social media?
DEREK JONES: I started using social media around 2008. At that time, many of our prospects were on Facebook, and so were their parents.
I didn’t have a lot of time to be on the phone talking 1:1 to recruits and families, so this was a chance to paint an image of myself as a coach and our team at Duke University. It was the easiest way to reach an abundance of people.
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How have you seen high school recruits use social media positively?
DEREK JONES: I think the biggest thing that young students do is use social media to market themselves and their strengths.
When I started recruiting in 2006, we were using VHS to recruit kids. However, most families didn’t have the funds to mail tapes to every school in America. Now, students are using social media to market their highlight clips, information, and strengths.
Given how NCAA rules limit calls and in-person meetings, social media is the new way to show us coaches your likes, interests, and how you carry yourself. It’s the new way for us to interview you.
What is the greatest character strength that you look for in students?
DEREK JONES: I respect presentation. That can make or break you. The way you present yourself speaks volumes.
There’s a quote that hangs in my office that says, “Everything you do in life is an interview because you never know who is watching.” Presentation is not just shaking hands. Presentation is knowing you’re in a public place and everyone is looking at you. Social media is that public place.
“Presentation is not just shaking hands. Presentation is knowing you’re in a public place and everyone is looking at you. Social media is that public place.”
What advice would you give a recruit creating a highlight reel on YouTube?
DEREK JONES: Make sure you put whatever it is you’re selling on the front end. We’re not going to watch 50 minutes, so we need to see your best stuff soon after we click “play.” For example, if you’re a defensive back, don’t start your tape with quarterback moments. Start with your greatest strengths.
Tell me about how you see students using social media negatively.
DEREK JONES: I see young men on a regular basis playing music and posting song lyrics that may not be ideal. They’re ignorant to the fact that college coaches are paying attention.
If you’re listening to a song with explicit lyrics, and some college coach doesn’t know that song, all they’re doing is seeing bad lyrics and associating them with you. You could post a confrontational album cover or a meme that is taken the wrong way. And if a college coach scrolls down your timeline and sees all these posts about negativity, he’s going to associate you with negativity.
There is so much on the line these days that college coaches won’t take the risk of putting their bets on you after seeing just one negative post.
“If a college coach scrolls down your timeline and sees all these posts about negativity, he’s going to associate you with negativity.”
How do you make sure your Duke Football team wins at social?
DEREK JONES: We coach them on social media just like we would coach plays on the field or behavior in the classroom. It can’t be something that you just assume they know. You have to give examples of negative and positive situations. You have to show them how it has impacted real people — whether it’s local newspaper clips or headline stories on ESPN.
We coaches also try to be a good example ourselves on social media. I not only want to be a good example for players, but for other coaches around the country. I make a point to inspire and coach them, and to do so in a repetitive way. My followers are constantly changing, so I need to remind them about these lessons over and over again.
At the end of the day, no one wants to see student-athletes lose opportunities over a negative post. That’s a lot of time and energy, and a relationship is immediately tarnished. So I make sure I post a few things throughout the day that help these young people.
I’ve taken that responsibility and added it to my personal coaching description. If you came to one of my football meetings, you would hear a lot of stuff on my Twitter feed being shared at the front or end of my meetings. We’re preparing them for the real world.
How does social media play into your Duke recruiting process?
DEREK JONES: Any young man that we watch film on that we like, my next step is to scroll down his timeline to see if he fits our program. If I see something bad, I’ll let the coaches know this is not the right guy for us. If I see a positive presentation, I know he is right for our program.
“Any young man that we watch film on that we like, my next step is to scroll down his timeline to see if he fits our program.”
What’s your favorite social platform?
DEREK JONES: Twitter, because it allows me to reach a magnitude of people with one sentence.
What advice would you give to high school students about social media, texting or all things digital?
DEREK JONES: Be careful before you hit “post” or “send” because you cannot delete it. In the world of retweeting and screenshots, once it’s out there, it’s out there.
Who would you tap for our Wall of Fame and why?
DEREK JONES: Benji Kelly on Twitter, the pastor of New Hope Church in Durham. He’s all about positivity. It’s not always religious related. It’s simply wise words that are good for people to hear.
Note: Derek’s new book #AP2W (Always Play To Win) brings his 140-character advice right to your fingertips. Check it out on his website, ap2w.com.