CANTON— Hardly any Division III football programs noticed Watertown High School product Eric Jones during his tenure with the Cyclones.

Watertown struggled through Jones's junior and senior years with overall records of 2-7 and 4-5 respectively. St. Lawrence University head coach Chris Phelps recognized that Jones could eventually become a starting fullback.

"He's one of those guys that was a sleeper," Phelps said. "Sometimes a lot of schools don't come up here all the time and do their homework."

Phelps brought him to St. Lawrence in 2006, but Jones didn't see the field until the third week of his freshman season and battled through injury all year.

"When I first got here it was tough," Jones said. "I got my first collegiate hit as a freshman against a linebacker and was like, 'Wow, this is college?' People knock D-3, but it's nothing to knock. It was a hard transition."

Jones had a nagging shoulder injury that kept him off the football field, but despite missing almost all of his freshman year, he never thought about quitting.

"I just love the game of football. I'm passionate every day," he said. "I'm dinged up myself, but I come out and put the pads on."

As a sophomore, Jones played ////in six games, finishing fourth in total rushing yards on the team. This year, as a junior, he's played in all four games, and because of injuries to running backs Carl Festa and Connor Hackett, Jones carried the rushing load through the first month.

"I worked hard over the summer and my expectations were to play more," he said. "I just didn't know where (Phelps) would put me."

Hackett suffered a concussion against Johns Hopkins during the Saints' first game, opening the door for Jones. In week two, Jones didn't start, but rushed for 99 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown against Norwich.

By week three, Jones got his first start at tailback against Alfred. Jones rushed for 42 yards on 15 carries. Phelps was pleased with how Jones responded to his new responsibility while Hackett and Festa recovered.

"I didn't expect it, but I wasn't surprised," Phelps said of Jones's offensive production. "The thing I'm most proud of him is that week we really had to use him, he went from primarily being a fullback to having to learn a new position and do some new things. He met that challenge and came out and played very well."

Jones leads St. Lawrence in rushing yards with 148 and has the only rushing touchdown through the first month of the season.

"Things change with a lot of injuries and some people had to step it up," he said. "I just wanted to be that person to step it up and show what I can do. I was glad I got that opportunity."

Jones has cemented his place in the rotation of St. Lawrence running backs for the remainder of this season and will vie for a full-time starting job next year.