Even before putting his name in the hat for the Tyrone football coaching job vacated by the legendary John Franco in January, Jason Jones was intimately familiar with the program.
Jones had faced the Golden Eagles as a player several times in the mid-2010s when he was a quarterback at Bald Eagle Area, and while he was never able to get a win over Tyrone, even then he recognized the stature of the program he was facing.
By then, in 2013cand 2014, Franco had departed to coach at Altoona, but the foundation he had laid during his first 18 seasons coaching in the borough was still as strong as ever. Tyrone won its 10th District 6 championship in 2014 and followed it up with a 9-2 season a year later.
The program fell on hard times for the first time in 30 years just a couple of seasons later, prompting Franco’s return in 2019. Over the next seven seasons, the Eagles would play in the District title game twice, post 40 victories, and ultimately join an expanded Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference.
There was a lot to like, and Jones watched from a distance as he began his coaching career in 2021 15 miles down I-99 at Altoona, where he was a junior high coach before being promoted to the junior varsity team.
There’s a great tradition here. I’m just hoping to build off that. Everything is in place to be successful. There’s a great football community. People take pride in wearing the Tyrone T. John built that.
– Jason Jones
Considering the kind of stability at the top it takes to create a program that was winning as consistently as Tyrone, Jones probably never imagined himself leading the team he once faced in high school, but when the opportunity presented itself earlier this month after Franco announced his retirement in January, he knew it was one he couldn’t ignore.
“To be honest, this was kind of out of the blue, but when you respect a program – competing against them and then being in Altoona – you respect Tyrone and the history and success they’ve had,” Jones said. “When you want to start as a head coach, you want to look for the right program. There is no better program not just to start but in general than Tyrone. It was a great opportunity, and it was a no-brainer when I was offered it.”
Jones was officially approved to replace Franco on February 10. His hiring continued the path of a young coach who has always had the profession in his blood. His father Dave is a long-time coach at Bald Eagle Area who was on the program’s junior high staff last season.
“That was one of the main reasons why I wanted to play college football,” he said. “I thought it would be a good stepping stone, not only to play for four more years, but to get that experience to coach someday. I wasn’t sure where or how I would coach. For a while there I considered I basketball or baseball. But football was always my true love, where I thought I could impact the kids and the program in the right way.
“Going back to my playing days, I saw how much my dad loved coaching. He’s coached for over 20 years at Bald Eagle in three different sports, but he always loved football. And I don’t think you can beat Friday night lights, especially in this area.”
In high school, Jones was the a top-notch three-sport athlete. He started two seasons as BEA’s quarterback, passing nearly 2,000 yards in his career and averaged double-digit scoring in basketball his junior and senior seasons (He had a career-high of 31 points as a senior against Huntingdon). On the diamond, Jones was a career .343 hitter.
There wasn’t much Jones couldn’t do when it came to athletics, and while it took some time once he reached the NCAA Division III level at Juniata, he ultimately worked himself into the team’s second-leading passer his senior season, when he completed 46 percent of his throws for more than 500 yards.
Those who played with him said it was his preparation and laser focus that distinguished him from his peers.
“Jason shined in the film room,” said former Juniata teammate Bryce Walters. “He would be locked in. He would break down coverages and diagnose film quicker than our starter at times. He had an absolute obsession and love for the game, primarily X’s and O’s – a brilliant player. He always knew what coverages teams were running.”
However, when the time came for the Tyrone Area Board of Directors to make its decision on who would follow Franco as the Eagles’ next head coach, it came down to more than schemes and strategies. As much as anything, it was Jones’ character that stood out.
“His enthusiasm and knowledge of the game was very obvious during the interview,” said Tyrone athletic director Luke Rhoades. “I think the biggest thing all (references) commented when asked about Coach Jones was that he was a caring and compassionate guy who really cares about his players.”
Jones said his values would center on player development from a variety of angles.
“For our student athletes in our program … player development-wise, getting them in a position to play after high school,” he said. “Academically, putting them in a position to succeed in the classroom, and making them better men when they leave our program. They’re young adults who are at a – some may say – difficult age, for boys 15 through 18. It’s all about maturity and growing in a program. If you can do that correctly, the players benefit from it. It’s all about the players, not about me or the staff. It’s all about how we benefit them and make them better.”
Jones inherits a team that finished 6-5 in 2025, losing to Huntingdon in the District 6 3A semifinals, and while the Eagles will have some holes to fill on both sides of the football, he’s not looking at empty shelves when he opens the cupboard, especially where skill players are concerned. Junior Ben Walk came on as a strong alternative to starting quarterback Eli Woomer late in the season, passing for more than 400 yards, and classmate Mason Emigh will return as the team’s leading receiver. Junior Caleb Whitby ran for over 800 yards, while Tytus Novak, also a junior, was one of the most dependable kickers in the LHAC.
Kyler Suhoney (Jr.), Connor Zupon (Soph.), John Stroup (Soph.), and Kolsen Moore (Jr.) also bring with them starting experience. That’s a solid foundation to work with, but beyond anything else, Jones is looking for players to buy into the new approach he will bring to football in the borough.
“Buy-in for a new staff has to be big from the players. So make sure they are completely excited about what we’re doing, bought into what we want to implement, especially starting out with lifting,” he said. “We’ve had a good couple of days of lifting as far as numbers go. Another short-term goal is to have a system is place where players feel they are getting better. Academics as well. I don’t want any kid to be ineligible this year. When you start talking about long-term goals, it could be winning the Laurel Highlands or your section, winning the District championship.”
Those challenges by themselves are a lot for a first-time head coach, but Jones, who teaches math at Altoona Junior High, will also be navigating his inaugural season as the coach who succeeds John Franco. Over two terms and almost 30 seasons with the Golden Eagles, Franco rebuilt Tyrone’s program into a statewide power, winning more than 232 games and 8 District 6 championships. He took Tyrone to the PIAA title game three times, winning it all in 1999, and his 46 playoff victories alone would rank him third among football coaches at TAHS.
Following that act could be a daunting task, but for the steady Jones, he’s already found ways to view that challenge in a positive light.
“There’s a great tradition here. I’m just hoping to build off that,” said Jones. “Everything is in place to be successful. There’s a great football community. People take pride in wearing the Tyrone T. John built that. He’s done a fantastic job. I could win 10 state championships, and I’m still going to tell you I’m chasing John. I went to some of his quarterback camps when I was in high school. I know he has a great idea about how to run a program. I’m sure we’ll talk at some point, but I would tell him the same thing. I’m not here to replace John Franco. I’m here to help build upon what he’s already set.”
ORANGE AND BLACK 