Trying to tackle Tim Jones can be a humbling and painful experience for a defender.

They read the play perfectly. They get into position to make the tackle. They even get their arms around him and wrap him up.

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And then Jones lines them up. He lowers his shoulder and rocks the defender with a hit as big as the one he receives. Jones’ legs keep churning. And the defender falls to the ground, the stadium lights shining in their eyes as the human dump truck in the red No. 20 jersey rumbles down the field for a 40-yard gain.

Jones, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior, has taken his place this season on the storied list of great Warren Central running backs. He’s rushed for 1,240 yards and 13 touchdowns and has nearly a dozen runs of 30 yards or more. As the Vikings march toward their first playoff berth in four seasons — they can clinch a spot with a win over archrival Vicksburg on Friday — Jones has become the focal point of the offense.

“I’m very proud of it. First year as a running back and I’m over 1,000 yards already. I’d say it’s a good year,” Jones said. “I was looking forward to it, but I knew I had to step into a new role and do what the coaches wanted me to do.”

Jones played tailback in ninth grade and on WC’s junior varsity team in 2007, but an ankle injury kept him from moving up to the varsity that season. Last year he spent most of his time on defense and recorded 59 tackles and two sacks as a linebacker.

He still plays linebacker and has 44 tackles, two sacks an and interception this season. But after WC’s top three rushers from last season either graduated or left the team for other reasons, coaches also decided to use Jones as a running back. He’s responded with an effort for the ages.

Despite playing most of the game’s snaps at two of the most physical positions on the field, Jones has become a workhorse. He’s had at least 18 carries in all but the season-opener against Gulfport and last week’s loss at Clinton, and at least one 30-yard run in seven of the Vikings’ nine games.

What makes Jones’ numbers even more impressive is his physical running style. Despite his average size, Jones runs the ball like a 250-pound bruiser. Most of his big runs are the result of breaking tackles 5 or 10 yards down the field and then sprinting away before the defense knows what hit it.

On a 43-yard run against Northwest Rankin earlier this season, Jones broke one tackle, then shrugged off two more defenders, then avoided one more near the sideline before running another 30 yards.

“If he ever gets into that second level, he’s got the potential to break a lot of one-on-one tackles,” WC coach Curtis Brewer said. “He’s got that good body lean, good body coordination. He gives a good lick when somebody’s tackling him and it makes it difficult to stop him.”

Jones is not immune to the physical toll being involved in 30 to 40 tackles a game takes on his body. Coaches try to ease the punishment by rotating him in and out of the defensive lineup, but Jones said he still ices his body for at least an hour after games. He’s also careful to stretch properly and not take shortcuts during conditioning work in practice. All of the little things during the week make a big difference on Friday night.

“Late third quarter into the fourth quarter I start to feel it,” Jones said with a laugh. “Pain is just all in my head and from being tired. But I know I’ve got to give it 100 percent.”

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Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com