50TH VANIER CUP INTERVIEW SERIES: Dean Jones, Saint Mary’s (2002)

50^TH VANIER CUP INTERVIEW SERIES: 2002

A conversation with...

Dean Jones, running back, Saint Mary’s University Huskies

In Vanier Cup XXXVIII, the Saint Mary’s Huskies became only the third program to repeat as CIAU football champion thanks to a 33-21 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies at SkyDome in Toronto. Trailing 21-16 late in the first half, the East Huskies scored the last 17 points of the game to keep the banner they had captured the previous year with a 42-16 victory over another Canada West opponent, Manitoba. Playing in his third Vanier Cup in four seasons, running back Dean Jones was a key contributor in the repeat triumph as he caught a 43-yard touchdown pass in the opening quarter and rushed for a game-high 105 yards on 16 carries.

What is your major memory of the entire Vanier Cup week and the overall experience in 2002?

The amount of support we had that week in Toronto was amazing. There were many commitments that we, as players, had to attend and there were always Saint Mary’s fans everywhere.

What is your one major lasting memory of the actual game?

Hugging my head coach, Blake Nill, at the end of the game. I was part of his first recruiting class and to go out on top was very special.

(Note: Nill, the current bench boss of the Calgary Dinos, started his coaching career at StFX in 1992 and was the X-Men’s defensive coordinator until February of 1998, when he was named Saint Mary’s head coach. He brought instant success to the program, taking the Huskies to the Vanier Cup in only his second season at the helm in 1999 – a 14-10 loss to Laval – before guiding them to back-to-back national titles in 2001 and 2002)   

What do you remember as the key play of the game?

Joe Bonaventura intercepting a pass at the goal line just before the end of the third quarter.

(Note: Bonaventura, a linebacker also playing in his third Vanier Cup in four years, intercepted a pass in his own end zone to keep the score 23-21 Saint Mary’s. He received the Bruce Coulter Award as the game’s defensive MVP)

What was your personal greatest play or moment?

I scored a touchdown on a swallow crossing route early in the first quarter.

(Note: Jones had only one reception in the contest but he made it count, catching a 43-yard pass from game MVP Steve Panella to open the scoring at 6:09)

Did the coaches do anything different from normal routine in the preparation for the game? 

Our coaches did their best to try and keep our routines as normal as possible. Rumor has it they even had their pre-game meal shipped in from a Halifax restaurant.

How did you or the team react to the stadium and the crowd?

We were a veteran group in 2002. Many of us had been there the year before, and some of us in 1999, so we knew that it was going to be loud and hot in the SkyDome. Keeping hydrated was very important.

What are your memories of the post-game celebrations on the field and/or in the dressing room?

I had my 18-month-old daughter on stage with me to accept the championship banner. As I was doing that, I missed out on the group photo with the Vanier Cup.

What are your memories of the trip back home? 

We had to fly back to Halifax early the next morning and were greeted by a large group of fans at the airport.

What was the reaction on campus when the team returned?

The support that we received was great. There were receptions held in our honour and press conferences.

At the time, how did winning the Vanier Cup change your everyday life?

As a student-athlete, I had to get right back to my normal routine because exams had started.

How did the 2002 win differ from 2001? 

In university sport, there is a high turnover of players from year to year, so the 2001 and 2002 teams were very different. No one expected us to be able to get back to the Vanier Cup, except for the people in our dressing room. For me personally, 2002 was a little sweeter because it had been over 20 years since a team had won back-to-back Vanier Cups.

(Note: Manitoba was the first program to win back-to-back Vanier Cups in 1969 and 1970. Western Ontario matched the feat in 1976 and 1977)

What was going through your mind in the final minutes of the 2002 game?

I knew my playing career was about to end, so to win the last game I would ever play was very special.  Because of an injury, I had thought about not returning for my final year in 2002. I am sure glad I did.

How often to you reminisce about your Vanier Cup wins?

I am asked about those wins quite often by the current SMU players.

(Note: Jones just finished his first season as the Huskies’ special teams coordinator and running backs coach)

What did you study at Saint Mary’s and what career paths did you follow after graduation?

I graduated with a B Comm. in 2003. After graduation, I was in sales for 10 years before being hired as an assistant football coach at SMU in 2013.