EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the final diary entry of the season from wide receiver Jacoby Jones, who just finished his rookie year in the NFL.
This offseason, I'm going back to school at Lane College. School starts on I believe the 8th or something like that, and I'll go down the 11th and I'll try to catch up and finish with my degree.
I think I've got like 15 hours left to graduate. I'm going to go back this whole January, show my face at school. I'll probably stay in a hotel while I'm up there, then I'll go back in February and train with my trainer. I'll be back up here in March, trying to get better. I could be done by the time that comes, so we'll see.
Getting my degree is important for me not only just to have that piece of paper – you could always say I finished – and then I'm doing it for my mother, as well.
She's excited. I promised her I was going back, so I'm going to go back, make her proud.
My major is interdisciplinary studies, like teaching. I really want to be a coach. I'd like to coach college. I could go back and do it at Lane one day, but actually where I'm going to go, I'm going to go to TSU with my coach from Lane, Johnny Cole.
He just started up there. I didn't get to see him during the season; he's been so busy and I've been busy, but when I get a chance, I'm going to catch up with him.
To be a part of history in my rookie year, man, that feels good, to get the winning feeling back to Houston, that's all. And it was good to get in a catch during the Jacksonville game. I was hungry that whole day, man; I was just trying to make a play.
It had been a long time since I had a catch – all the way back to Cleveland. To be able to make a play heading into next season, I could feed off that. I don't care how long away it is, I could feed off that.
André Davis, he's a monster, man. There's really nothing else to say about him. His actions speak louder than words. If you can't tell by the actions, I don't know what to tell you. I think I picked something up from him for my punt returns next season: Just run.
Looking back on my first season, I really will remember the guys being leaders. I mean, they take you under their wings, like Andre Johnson, André Davis, Kevin Walter – all those guys took me under their wing, so I learned a lot from them.
The hardest thing was just to keep going, staying focused in a marathon. It was like a marathon out here. Physically, it takes a toll on you, coming off your senior season and going into this. It was pretty much like I didn't even stop.
At first it's mentally tough, too, but you've just got to fight through it. I figured out how to deal with that as I went along.
Like I said, for my New Year's resolution, I'm getting back on my health program. No more eating wings like I've been doing. I've got to eat healthy.
Happy New Year, and thank you to everyone for your support this season. See you at OTA's.
Jacoby Jones diary archive:Entry 19 - 12/28
Entry 18 - 12/20
Entry 17 - 12/12
Entry 16 - 12/6
Entry 15 - 11/29
Entry 14 - 11/21
Entry 13 - 11/14
Entry 12 - 11/7
Entry 11 - 11/1
Entry 10 - 10/24
Entry 9 - 10/18
Entry 8 - 10/10
Entry 7 - 10/3
Entry 6 - 9/26
Entry 5 - 9/19
Entry 4 - 9/12
Entry 3 - 9/5
Entry 2 - 8/28
Entry 1 - 8/22
Got a question for Jacoby? Post a comment, or send an e-mail to the editor at **nscurfield@houstontexans.com*.*
