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SMU To Pursue June Jones
2nd January, 2008 - 12:04 pm
ESPN - SMU will pursue Hawaii coach June Jones and is prepared to pay between $1.5 and $1.7 million per year, according to two people familiar with SMU's' strategy.

Although June Jones' contract expires after this year, Hawaii has yet to make a contract offer.

Jones led Hawaii to 12-1 mark this season. The Warriors were routed by Georgia in Tuesday's Allstate Sugar Bowl, 41-10. [READ]

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Money and agony would be the only reasons for Jones to come to Dallas. The benefits to hiring Jones are that he recruits to a faraway place now, and could recruit to a picked over market here. I still think SMU needs to follow the lead of schools that stay local. UT signs 95% of their kids from Texas. They need to push in the Metroplex and North Texas to get the kids that fit the program. That will elicit interest from the area,a nd be a real benefit to the program. Going to California and Florida is a waste of time. The next coach needs to evaluate players, get some JCs in here next year, then implement more freshmen as time goes on to establish a hub of legal recruiting.

There is no way I would go to SMU if I were him.

I agree with your local strategy though - so much talent still goes out of state. If TCU and Tech can do it, there's no reason SMU can't at least be decent.

Jamal Charles going pro according to Wiretap.

Big loss for horns. He did have a great year tho. He is faster than Ricky Williams, and has better hands. Not as weird,either.

I seriously doubt June Jones leaves Hawaii for that.

I wouldnt. He went to Hawaii, and has been out there 9 years now. I met him when he was Falcons coach. I didnt think he would be a good college coach after disasterous falcons run, but sometimes gimmic offenses play real well in College.

catalyst wrote:I wouldnt. He went to Hawaii, and has been out there 9 years now. I met him when he was Falcons coach. I didnt think he would be a good college coach after disasterous falcons run, but sometimes gimmic offenses play real well in College.

He just seems to be very comfortable there and I can't see him leaving his living arrangement for the current offer that's on the table. He's also changed the system around, so I'm fairly certain Hawaii is prepared to open their pocket books up, and it's not like they don't have the money after a Sugar Bowl appearance.

Will see what happens.

According to reports this morning, this SMU check would be double what he is making now. THe problem is moving from a highly successful program in a comfy setting to the worst program over the last 20 years, in an unfamiliar setting. However, he did take over hawaii after 18 strait losses.

June Jones to Retire from Hawaii
Report: Jones to resign from Hawaii
Coach will meet with SMU officials today about position
11:42 PM CST on Saturday, January 5, 2008

By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
khairopoulos@dallasnews.com

All signs point toward Hawaii coach June Jones becoming SMU's new football coach, possibly by the end of today.

Jones, expected to arrive in Dallas early this morning, has sent letters to friends announcing he is resigning as coach of Hawaii, according to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and The Honolulu Advertiser. The letter listed multiple reasons why Jones won't remain at the school, centering on issues the Hawaii athletic department hasn't dealt with.

Athletic director Herman Frazier told the Star-Bulletin he had not received a resignation letter as of late Saturday evening Dallas time.

"We have not hired anyone yet," SMU athletic director Steve Orsini said.

SMU is the only remaining open college job. Leigh Steinberg, Jones' agent, has reportedly had talks with an NFL team.

SMU has offered Jones between $1.7 million to $2 million annually, according to two sources.

The Mustangs have a busy day planned for Jones, who was originally scheduled to arrive late Saturday but had trouble booking a flight, Steinberg said.

Jones' itinerary for the day includes meeting with SMU president R. Gerald Turner, Orsini, trustees, boosters and the school's search committee.

Steinberg, scheduled to arrive in Dallas late Saturday, confirmed SMU had made an offer.

Hawaii has also presented Jones a counteroffer to its original proposal, which Hawaii newspapers reported at $1.1 million. Steinberg declined to discuss details of the counteroffer, which would make Jones the highest-paid coach in the Western Athletic Conference or the Mountain West Conference, Frazier told The Honolulu Advertiser.

Fresno State's Pat Hill is the highest-paid WAC coach, earning $1.2 million, the newspaper reported.

While Jones and Orsini have had direct discussions, "it's a tremendous opportunity to meet face to face with the SMU community," Steinberg said. "Steve Orsini has been very compelling."

Steinberg said his plans on departing Dallas will depend on how the discussions unfold.

Steinberg said he and Jones had received a tremendous outpouring from Hawaii fans through calls and e-mails, asking Jones to remain at Hawaii.

Frazier has come under fire for failing to extend Jones' contract, which expires June 30. He didn't extend the initial offer to Jones until Thursday.

Jones and Steinberg received permission from Hawaii to explore other options just before Christmas.

Jones, 54, is 76-41 in nine seasons at Hawaii. He led the Warriors to a 12-0 regular-season record this season before falling, 41-10, to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

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Source: Jones Close To Agreeing To Coach SMU
6th January, 2008 - 6:53 pm
ESPN - SMU is close to finalizing the details of a contract for Hawaii Coach June Jones, and he is expected to be introduced at a news conference as soon as Monday, a source close to the situation said Sunday.

Jones' contract is proposed to be for five years at close to $2 million per year. The deal is expected to be booster-funded, as well. SMU AD Steve Orsini reportedly has sold as many as 20 boosters on the concept of donating as much as $100,000 per year for five years.

Jones, who flew to Dallas on Saturday, will bring an exciting offense and instantly make nearly twice as much as any other coach in Conference USA. [READ]

hired.

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