Eric Jones will never forget his introduction to the Duke-North Carolina rivalry.
Although it was a fairly insignificant game in the series' 111-year history, the 1996 matchup marked the end of a long wait for then-freshman Jones. For the Blue Devil program, it meant the start of something special.
Throughout the entire 1996 campaign, Jones hoped to find his way into the starting lineup. He thought his time had finally come when Duke, sitting at 0-9 for the season, travelled to the ACC's second-worst team, Wake Forest. But when the Blue Devil defense first took the field, Jones was left standing on the sidelines.
He only entered the game for two plays that day, and with only No. 6 North Carolina left on the schedule, Jones thought he surely would have to wait until next year.
But the next week, coach Fred Goldsmith did something most unexpected. He announced that Jones, along with five other freshmen, would start against the Tar Heels.
"I was relieved at first. I was like, 'Yes! I'm finally going to get my chance.' But then I said, 'Wait a minute, we're playing the No. 6 team in the country,'" Jones recalled. "Then it became a little bit sobering: 'You got what you asked for, now you have to make the most of the opportunity.' I was glad to be starting, but it was sobering at the same time.
"I was going out there and before the kickoff I just kept thinking, 'Oh man, you can't mess up.' Starting out, I was shaking in my boots."
But as soon as he took the field, Jones' quaking stopped and the standout safety never looked back, recording 16 tackles
"Today I was sitting out there at practice thinking about it," Jones said. "This time [three] years ago was the first time I started and now it will be my last start at this university. It makes me think about everything I went through here, and I feel glad about it. I thank God I was fortunate enough to play here.
"It's really been awesome-the whole experience. I know that Duke was the best place for me to come, without a doubt."
As is the case for most of Duke's seniors, Jones' career has been one of mixed emotions. Before this season, Jones had only been a part of six wins as a Blue Devil, but came into this year with a new optimism. However, this year, like Jones' previous three, has been one of disappointment and tough losses.
"Things really don't always happen the way you want them to happen," Jones said. "We've had some unfortunate circumstances, a bunch of close games where we could be sitting at a really different record. We gave everybody-with the exception of a couple games-all that they could handle. You look back and it's what if, what if, what if."
Jones hopes his football career will not end with the painful what if's of 1999. If he has his way, fans will be seeing him in a pro uniform come next fall. An intelligent player who can bench over 400 lbs., Jones isn't a sure thing in the NFL, but he'd sure like the chance to prove himself.
"I want to play on Sundays. It would be a childhood dream fulfilled," Jones said. "I'm just going to see how it turns out and put it in God's hands. I've been praying a lot about it and I've asked Him to open up a door for me or close one if need be. I'm not going to stress it. I've put myself out there; I've worked hard and we'll see what happens. "
But before Jones can dream about Draft Day 2000, first comes Carolina.
Jones has never beaten the Tar Heels and can think of no better way to finish his career than to recapture the Victory Bell, which has not been in Duke's possession since 1989.
"[In that first game], I was real nervous and real excited at the same time, knowing that I was being a part of a special rivalry like the one between Duke and Carolina," Jones said. "It means bragging rights. It means better Thanksgiving dinner. It means that we get the bell. It means for a whole year those guys have to sit on the other side and think about what its like to lose the game.
"We've been on that side for a while now."
And while Jones has been a part of four losing seasons, he still feels a part of something special.
"There's a lot more tradition, a lot more nuances to the school with this football team than I think most people realize, or even I realized coming in here," Jones said. "There's a lot of proud history at Duke. It means something to wear this uniform... and to come down and play in Wallace Wade Stadium."
Saturday afternoon Eric Jones will wear his Duke uniform for the last time. And when he finally takes off his jersey, yet another chapter in that long Duke history will come to a close.
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