DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL HORNET ASSISTANT COACHES/STAFF
Arrington Jones Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Jones is in his third season with the Hornets and 25th year as a collegiate coach. In 2012, he directed DSU to recordsetting passing and receiving numbers. Last season, Delaware State senior quarterback Nike Elko was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive Player-of-the-Year, the first Hornet to receive the award since QB Rahsaan Matthews in 2000. In 2012, Elko was tops in the MEAC in passing average at 257.1 ypg. He completed 259 passes (in 412 attempts) for 2,828 yards, each a school record. In addition, Elko set a team record by completing 17 straight passes in the Hornets’ 28-23 win at Morgan State on Oct. 25, 2012. In two seasons under the direction of Jones, Elko, the Hornets’ No. 2 all-time passer, completed 465-of- 774 passes (60.1%) for 4,888 yards and 30 touchdowns. As a team, the 2012 Hornets were first in the MEAC in passing offense (257.1 ypg), time of possession (32:41) and fourth down conversions (66.7%); second in passing efficiency (129.8 rating) and third down conversions (40.5%); third in first downs (19.2 pg); fourth in total offense (356.8 ypg); and fifth in scoring (22.9 ppg).
Prior to joining the Hornets, Jones was head coach/offensive coordinator at Division II Virginia Union University from 2003 to '07. His tenure with the Panthers was highlighted by the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Eastern Division title and Pioneer Bowl (CIAA Championship Game) appearance in 2007. Jones was honored as the CIAA Coach-of-the-Year that season. Virginia Union's 2007 quarterback Lamar Little was named CIAA Offensive Player-of-the-Year after passing for 2,340 yards and accounting for 37 touchdowns (28 passing; 9 rushing). The '07 Panthers were ranked as high as No. 20 among all NCAA Division II teams and No. 6 in the Southeast Region. From 2001 to '03, Jones served as offensive coordinator/recruiting coordinator under (current DSU head coach) Kermit Blount at Winston-Salem State University. The Rams appeared in the CIAA Championship Game in 2001. Prior to his time at Winston-Salem State, Jones spent 15 seasons at Virginia State University. He was assistant head coach/offensive coordinator from 1990 to 2000 after serving as the Trojans' special teams coordinator from 1986 to '90. His tenure at VSU was highlighted by a CIAA championship in 1995. Before entering the coaching ranks, Jones spent four years in professional football. After being selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 1981 NFL draft, he spent part of the '81 season with the team. Jones was a member of the United States Football League's Washington Federals from 1983 to '86. The Richmond, Va., native holds a bachelor's in Physical Education and a master's in Educational Administration and Supervision from Virginia State University.
Also in 2012, Delaware State senior receiver Travis Tarpley was tops in the MEAC in receptions (7.8 pg) and receiving yards (96.2 pg), while fellow senior Justin Wilson was third in the league in receptions (6.6 pg) and receiving yards (73.3 pg). Tarpley set new Hornet records with 83 receptions for 1,058 yards in 2012. Offensive tackle Nail Muradymov joined Elko, Tarpley and Wilson on the 2012 All-MEAC First Team. In his first season at Delaware State in 2011, Jones guided Elko to a No. 2 ranking in the MEAC in passing average (206.0 ypg) and completions (207). Elko was also No. 6 in the MEAC in total offense (193.5 ypg). In addition, he set a DSU single-season record for pass completions and recorded the fifth-best singleseason passing yardage total in team history (2,064).
MEAC CHAMPS— 1985,‘87,‘88,‘89,‘91,‘07
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