Jones Resigns as Hawaii Football Coach

[Southpaw]

June is going to SMU???

Reports: Jones Resigns as Hawaii Football Coach


Jan 6, 12:43 AM (ET)

HONOLULU (AP) -June Jones has resigned as the University of Hawaii's football coach, according to reports Saturday.

The Honolulu Advertiser, citing Jones' friend, Al Souza, reported Jones resigned Saturday morning. Jones said he would leave the university because of a lack of commitment from athletic department leaders, among other reasons, the paper said.

"This breaks his heart," Souza said of Jones' decision to leave.

Jones also sent letters to friends announcing that he is resigning, the Advertiser and television reports said.

Kent Untermann, a former Hawaii football player and a member of the Na Koa booster club, told KHNL that Jones' was leaving because of frustration with how the athletic department was run, not because he felt his salary was too low.

"He wants to be here but he has come to the point where he feels nothing is going to change," Untermann said. "He feels he has done his part but hasn't gotten the support and leadership from the administration."

The 54-year-old Jones just finished the most successful season in school history, and is being recruited by Southern Methodist University. Jones was en route to Dallas on Saturday to talk to SMU officials and could not be reached for comment.

The Dallas Morning News reported SMU has offered Jones between $1.7 million and $2 million a year. Jones currently earns $800,016 a year under a five-year contract with Hawaii that expires June 30.

The Warriors finished the season 12-1, losing to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl - the school's first bowl appearance on the mainland since 1992.

 

[Skkorpion]

SMU? Guaranteed losing. Jones is just cashing his retirement check.

 

[ajcardfan]

SMU? Guaranteed losing. Jones is just cashing his retirement check.

I don't think winning at SMU is much more of a task than he faced in building a winner in Hawaii.

I remember in one of Hawaii's games this year, they were talking about how unhappy he was with the practice facilities. The color guy said he was appalled by them and that most high schools had better facilities. I just think Hawaii doesn't have the cash to maintain a program. Already, half of Jones' salary was paid for by boosters.

 

[Southpaw]

I don't think winning at SMU is much more of a task than he faced in building a winner in Hawaii.

I remember in one of Hawaii's games this year, they were talking about how unhappy he was with the practice facilities. The color guy said he was appalled by them and that most high schools had better facilities. I just think Hawaii doesn't have the cash to maintain a program. Already, half of Jones' salary was paid for by boosters.

Color/analyst guys tend to say stupid things like that, for lack of a coherent thought. It may be true, but comparing one school's facilities to another is a ridiculous game they seem to relish playing. Makes me wonder if they aren't prompted by the offending school's AD in an attempt to embarrass boosters into buying them new facilities. The spiraling costs and "profits" of collegiate sports is out of control.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

i believe the AD at hawaii has ties to ASU and i've heard him on the local radio

he was very blunt about budgetary restraints at hawaii - they have some good non monetary athletic programs that are fairly reliant on football

i think jones knows this and knows that hawaii isn't up to par with the rest of the nation in facilities and recruitment - he's talked in the past about not travelling to the mainland unless a recruit is a surefire thing and having to rely on big prospects looking for a 2nd chance (like brennan after his situation in CO)

i've also heard much talk from many sources about how outdated everything there is

i don't think it's just a lot of smoke

he has brought hawaii to bowl games, filled their stadium and energized boosters - it's not unreasonable for him to expect some reinvestment into football

if hawaii does this I think he stays

 

[Southpaw]

I would think U of Hawaii is a state school. Do they have a bankrupt tax base? At state tax supported schools the only thing a booster normally has to fund are player's salaries and bonuses.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

here is an aritcle from when the state called a hearing on the university

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2878353

 

[sundevilscott]

Well it couldn't happen to a better school.