Phil Jones came to Shorter in 2005 from NCAA Division I AA Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. Jones served as assistant head coach for the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs, where he worked with receivers and special teams. The GWU Bulldogs won back-to-back Big South Conference Championships during this time. Prior to Gardner-Webb, Jones served for one year as assistant coach at Southern Methodist University and coached under Jim Donnan at the University of Georgia from 1997-2001. During this time, Jones held several positions at UGA including defensive end coach, special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach. The Georgia Bulldogs rolled to four straight bowl victories and compiled a 35-13 record while Jones was on coaching staff.

"Phil Jones holds a great knowledge of Georgia and this region of the country and has a tremendous background with high school coaches in the state," said former UGA Head Coach Jim Donnan. "Jones has a good feel for what is required to develop young men and is an outstanding coach."

Longtime UGA head football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley commented, "Phil Jones was one of the most universally respected and successful high school coaches in Georgia; he later became an outstanding college coach as well."

In addition to his collegiate coaching success, Jones coached Georgia high school football for 29 years. In 1968 Jones began his coaching career as assistant coach for Bobby Rich at Northside High School in Warner Robins. Jones earned his first head coaching position in 1973 at Jeff Davis High School in Hazelhurst, Georgia. From 1975-1979 Jones served as head football coach and athletic director at Fitzgerald High School in Fitzgerald, Georgia. He then served Dooly County High School in Vienna, Georgia, as head football coach and athletic director from 1980-1984, where his team earned an impressive 31-7 record. In 1983, Jones was named 1-AA Coach of the Year; during this same year, the Macon Telegraph named Jones as Middle Georgia Coach of the Year.

"He brings instant credibility to Shorter among Georgia high schools," said UGA Associate Athletic Director and former UGA quarterback Mike Cavan. "I have the greatest respect for Phil as a coach and even more respect as a person. He is one of the finest men that I have ever known."

From 1984-1997, Jones served as head football coach at Winder-Barrow High School. His teams made the playoffs eight times, with a compiled record of 81-58-2. In 1993, the Winder-Barrow team made it to the AAA semifinal state playoffs; as a result of his team's accomplishment, the Georgia Athletic Directors Association named Jones as 1993 AAA Coach of the Year and 1994 AAA Athletic Director of the Year. Jones served on the Georgia High School Association Executive Committee on three separate occasions and served as the State Football Chairman from 1993-1995.

Jones is a Thomaston, Georgia, native who graduated from Mercer University in 1968. He and his wife, Janie, have two children and five grandchildren.