Beating Cal and holding the Stanford Axe for a fifth straight year meant everything to Craig Jones. The fifth-year senior inside linebacker from Modesto, California, aimed for that goal last week – and more.
Jones is a master's student in management science and engineering with a focus on technology and engineering management. He applied in September for a graduate sales analyst position at Red Bull in New York City, earned a video interview in October and then received the call for a final round interview. There was one catch: Jones would interview in Santa Monica during the final two days of Big Game week, missing meetings and practices.
"It's not a tough decision," says Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw. "That's why you come to Stanford. These guys have opportunities that people don't get other places. Our priority is on these young men being successful after Stanford and after football."
It started a week ago Sunday, when Jones received a case study to analyze and prepare a presentation. He traveled Thursday to Santa Monica and was put to work in a group competition on the beach involving logic puzzles, a bridge measurement and a tandem bike ride. His team won.
Friday morning Jones presented his business case and analysis ("Target millennials with the brands and channels that match their lifestyles. There was a lot of ground we could make up."), followed by another set of puzzles to unlock a simulated global Red Bull event.
The hiring managers monitoring Jones had never seen a candidate complete the puzzles. Jones led his team to the finish – with 10 minutes to spare.
"The critical thinking skills I have developed over five years under [Kissick Family Director of Sports Performance] Shannon Turley really prepared me for this," says Jones. "Nobody makes you think on your feet like he does. In our team challenges, you never know what will come next or when your name will be called.
"My ability to delegate and trust also helped. I know that I'm only one of 11 when I'm on the field. You have to believe that the others on your team are qualified like you – that they have prepared to do their job."
Jones raced out of the offices at 12:15 p.m. PT to catch a 2 p.m. flight from Los Angeles back to the Bay Area.
"We'll be in touch. Beat Cal," was the last message he heard in Santa Monica.
Jones landed in San Francisco at 3:15 p.m. His phone rang at 3:30 p.m. He was offered the job.
"I was totally surprised," Jones says. "My mind had completely shifted gears to football, and I did not expect to hear anything back until Monday."
Jones walked into the team dinner in Berkeley on Friday, joining his fellow linebackers at their table. He shared the news. Sophomore inside linebacker Sean Barton bellowed out a cheer, next joined by teammates: "He got the job! He got the job!"
"It was a little overwhelming," Jones says. "The team was pretty cool about it. They knew I was gone for a job interview and really supported me."
Fans remember Craig Jones well from the viral video during Stanford's 2015 training camp, when Coach Shaw surprised the walk-on student-athlete with the announcement that he had earned a full scholarship. The pure joy shown by his teammates' reaction was a reflection of his work ethic, leadership and selflessness.
Watch walk-on senior @CraigJones_30 and his teammates react when @CoachDavidShaw announces that he's on scholarship.https://t.co/qXO1Dymy3W
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) August 28, 2015
For the rest of his life, a Stanford football student-athlete's senior year is defined by the Big Game. 'Did you beat Cal?' Jones knew chasing this job opportunity, however, could not take away from his commitment to his teammates and a win.
"It definitely speaks to the priorities that both the players and coaches have in this program," Jones says. "We came here to be successful as men.
"They trusted me as a fifth-year senior to be prepared. All of the work I had put in on the front end allowed me to miss the walk-through and Fast Friday practices for this interview, without missing a beat."
Jones lined up for 15 plays of the 119th Big Game. He recorded a standout tackle on kickoff coverage, flattening his blocker before exploding through the returner for a solo stop.
Jones came to The Farm five years ago for a promise: You can have the best of both worlds at Stanford. After the sun set in Berkeley Saturday night, Craig Jones had it all – the job and the Axe.