rried about making mistakes.dddddddddddd Jones said since defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was fired after the Duke game, the defense is less afraid to make mistakes.Im just going out there and let

This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Orlando MagicOverall: 65 Title track: T90 Ownership: 79 Coaching: T52 Players: 78 Fan relations: 65 Affordability: 50 Stadium experience: 26 Bang for the buck: 75 Change from last year: +5Oh, what a difference a half-decade makes. Way back in 2011, the Magic were perennial playoff-makers (six straight appearances in all, starting in the 2006-07 season), coached by Stan Van Gundy and ranked a lofty 16th overall in these very Ultimate Standings. Five years, four postseason-less campaigns and four head coaches later? Theyre mired in the muck of mediocrity, a disheartening 49 spots lower (No. 65 overall), with no top-50 rankings to their name, besides affordability and stadium experience. Where, oh where, has the magic gone?Whats goodThe still-gleaming, still-shiny-new Amway Center, now in its seventh year, remains a fan favorite in Central Florida (25th in having a great stadium, its the top-ranked NBA arena). The tallest HD scoreboard in the league? Check. More than 1,100 digital monitors? Check check. A fun zone for kids AND one for adults? (For the over-21 set, its called the One80 Grey Goose Lounge, complete with sweeping views of the city.) Check, check and ... well, you get the picture. Even if the on-court action isnt great, that scoreboard -- with its 4.4 trillion shades of color -- makes it look great.Whats badThe Magics aforementioned playoff drought -- four years and counting -- matches its longest dry spell since the franchise entered the NBA 27 years ago. Hope, in turn, has run dry. Witness: With the team tied for 90th in title track, you can color Orlando fans skeptical about their championship prospects. (The Magic share that rank with the Milwaukee Bucks, their not-so-lofty NBA colleagues who have toiled in mediocrity for the better part of two decades.) Just a wild guess? The rash of new faces -- only six players remain from last years squad -- wont do much to mend already tenuous trust in the teams future prospects.Whats newBehold, the revolving door of head coaches in central Florida: Stan Van Gundy begat Jacque Vaughn begat James Borrego begat Scott Skiles ... begat Frank Vogel. Vogel, Orlandos fifth head coach in nearly as many seasons, looks to have the locals early buy-in, at least. He comes by way of Indiana, where, in his five full seasons at the helm, he steered the Pacers to four playoff berths. (His lone miss? The 2014-15 season, with Paul George lost for most of the year.) The Magic, in turn, jumped a healthy 33 spots in coaching since last year (their biggest leap in 2016) and climbed to a now-respectable No. 52.Next: LA Clippers?| Full rankings Air Jordan 1 Retro . 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SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame defensive tackle Jarron Jones is suddenly a disruptive force for a defense that is playing solidly after a dismal start.With time running out on his collegiate career, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound graduate student from Rochester, New York, has helped the Irish defense go from giving up 461 yards a game through the first five games to 267 yards per game the past three. Jones is knocking offensive linemen back and looking like the lineman who first drew attention two years ago for his standout play against second-ranked Florida State when he had six tackles, three for loss, in a 31-27 defeat.Jones had two block kicks and an interception earlier this season, but stepped up his play with a strip-sack fumble recovery against Stanford two games ago, followed by making seven tackles in a 30-27 victory on Saturday against Miami, six of them for loss -- the most by any FBS player this season.I think thats about as good a performance that weve had in a while here. Jarron was outstanding, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.Kelly attributes the improved play to Jones no longer being worried about the torn MCL in his right knee that caused him to miss all of last season except against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, and a sense of urgency with time running out to impress NFL scouts. Kelly said Jones, who admits that until this year he didnt like practice, has been consistently working hard for about five weeks.Ive been very, very pleased with the way he has matured this year into the kind of senior that youd want on your football team, Kelly said.Jones agrees with KKelly that hes playing better because hes no longer worried about his knee, but hes also no longer worried about making mistakes.dddddddddddd Jones said since defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was fired after the Duke game, the defense is less afraid to make mistakes.Im just going out there and letting it go completely. There was always a worry, `I cant jump out of my gap. I dont want to let the center or the guard climb to the next level, he said. Now I know Im just as capable of making plays just as well as the linebackers are. So Im just going out there, dominating my job.Kelly said he is constantly talking to Jones to make sure he is focused.We have constant conversations, Jarron and I, Kelly said. Look, Jarron is extremely affable, hes got a big heart. After a monster game, he was trick or treating as Snow White here in the Gug. Hes a beautiful kid. But he has to be reminded of the day-to-days, and thats my job.The Irish (3-5) are counting on Jones to have another big game against Navy (5-2) on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida, even though he concedes he hates playing against option teams.This is awful. Im going to be honest, I despise the triple option, he said.Asked whether facing the option would be a strength for Jones, Kelly replied: It had better be a strength of his. Hes got all the NFL teams now interested in him. So I dont think he wants bad NFL film now. I hope hes listening.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '