Junes Jones Will Interview @ Smu

[UNTflyer]

HONOLULU (AP) -- Hawaii football coach June Jones said he would travel to Dallas on Saturday to discuss the opening at Southern Methodist University.

Jones told The Honolulu Advertiser an official offer was expected to be made during a meeting with SMU officials.

Jones' agent, Leigh Steinberg, said SMU had made an offer and the coach has received a counteroffer from Hawaii. Steinberg did not discuss specifics, but said Jones also is considering an NFL job. National reports have said SMU has offered Jones up to $2 million a year. He currently receives $800,000 a year from Hawaii under a five-year contract that expires June 30.

Jones, the winningest coach in Hawaii history over his nine seasons, said he met with University of Hawaii president David McClain on Thursday and with athletic director Herman Frazier on Friday.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/foot...4/smu.jones.ap/

[UNTflyer]

Admins, please correct my spelling in the title.

[UNTFan23]

What is the possibility that we can hire a Defensive Coordinator before SMU can hire a Head Football Coach.

[UNTflyer]

I'm betting this "interview" is nothing more than a formality.

I think SMU has (finally) found their coach.

[NT80]

I'm betting this "interview" is nothing more than a formality.

I think SMU has (finally) found their coach.

If so, it will be his last head coach job....

[dodgefan]

June Jones is very respected around the country. If SMU gets June, this would be a major statement for the Mustangs.

[Mean Green 93-98]

June Jones is very respected around the country. If SMU gets June, this would be a major statement for the Mustangs.

I'm not sure how respected he is. He is fairly well-known, and what he did at Hawaii was impressive. But this to me is not as big a splash of a hire as I was expecting SMU to make with that big moneybag they were flashing around.

[NM Green]

The more I look at it the more it looks like it will happen. Oh my how the energy pendelum would swing south. It would be interesting to see how the pony fan would welcome his style. He is about giving people second chances, bringing in some non-traditional students, and will require a lot of control. He would be perfect for SMU in that he would be getting a low hanging fruit program and be able to grow it up like he did Hawaii. Change the culture, build the brand and sell the city of Dallas on Mustang football again. WOW. This is going to be exciting for the Metroplex. Dodge Ball is only going to get better, the froggies are going to get worried and Jones and is going to build - Top notch football in the Metro for the next 10 years!

GMG

[dodgefan]

I'm not sure how respected he is. He is fairly well-known, and what he did at Hawaii was impressive. But this to me is not as big a splash of a hire as I was expecting SMU to make with that big moneybag they were flashing around

Are you kidding? Who did you think they were going to hire?...Jimmy Johnson?

[Mean Green 93-98]

I'm not sure how respected he is. He is fairly well-known, and what he did at Hawaii was impressive. But this to me is not as big a splash of a hire as I was expecting SMU to make with that big moneybag they were flashing around

Are you kidding? Who did you think they were going to hire?...Jimmy Johnson?

Hiring Franchione, Coker, or Neuheisel would have made bigger waves. Paul Johnson or Mike Shula would have been a better hire than Jones or any of the others, IMO.

[MeanMag]

I'm not sure how respected he is. He is fairly well-known, and what he did at Hawaii was impressive. But this to me is not as big a splash of a hire as I was expecting SMU to make with that big moneybag they were flashing around

Are you kidding? Who did you think they were going to hire?...Jimmy Johnson?

bill belichick

[StealthEagle84]

Are we talking about SMU here? Sounds more like a discussion about a traditional BCS powerhouse, not a lower level Conference USA school. Listen, any hire of a successful head coach from the D-1 level for SMU is a steal. They haven't won in years. When was the last time they played in a bowl game for that matter? Hell, a hire of anyone at this point would be good for the university.

[SouthernMustang]

Hiring Franchione, Coker, or Neuheisel would have made bigger waves. Paul Johnson or Mike Shula would have been a better hire than Jones or any of the others, IMO.

I think one of the first three might've made bigger "waves," but I don't necessarily think they're as good of a hire. I was truly frightened at the thought of Fran coming to SMU. And while Coker boasts a nice record, I just can't help but see that he took Miami from a national title to a 6-6 caliber team and he just seems way older than everyone else. Of course, I would definitely want Shula first, then Paul Johnson (who they tried to get) - but I think Jones is a better coach and not as washed up as Francione or Coker. Neuheisel never would've come here, he was using SMU to get his name tossed back in the hat for coaching gigs and wound up with his dream job.

[texas45green]

I heard he sign with smu this morning but im not sure on that just heard it from another board. If true i believe its good for smu but bad for jones. Leaving a ok Hawaill team for a very bad smu team. It will take a couple of years to win at smu

[SouthernMustang]

I heard he sign with smu this morning but im not sure on that just heard it from another board. If true i believe its good for smu but bad for jones. Leaving a ok Hawaill team for a very bad smu team. It will take a couple of years to win at smu

I don't think it'd be that hard to win 6-7 games next year. I didn't follow too closely this year, but it seems like SMU lost 5 or 6 games by 7 points or less and 3 of them were in OT or at the last second. I think June Jones would be able to make Justin Willis a good QB, not just a great athlete with potential to be a great QB. I saw part of their game vs. UH(oustun) and they were in it and lost by 10 or something like that. It's CUSA, not the SEC. The talent gaps just really aren't that wide. It shouldn't take 4-5 years to turn around a program, Bennett didn't recruit that bad compared to the other conference mates. Hell, they won 6 games the year before -- and left 2 or 3 games on the table they could've won. Kragthorpe turned around Tulsa in 1 year, Graham with Rice (and then look what happened when he left). It can be done anywhere.

But just b/c Hawaii got blown out by UGA I'd say they're more than "okay." I think LSU would lose to UGA if they played right now. And I'm not sure the score of a VT/UGA or KU/UGA game would've been much less lopsided than the UGA/Hawaii game anyway. If Jones can't get the support he wants from the university admin in Hawaii, he may bolt.. I'd imagine the reason this is taking as long as it is might be due to Jones wanting confirmation that SMU will change its admissions policies.

[I Miss Booger Kennedy]

Jones is fleeing Hawaii because he's afraid of what The Tebow will do to his defense in their season-opener after his "system quarterback" comments.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

Is no one else shocked that SMU has offered $2M for their HC position??

They are really ponying up down there and showing they are serious about their program.

[UNTflyer]

And it will be the worst investment SMU alumni made since they listened to Jeffrey Skilling.

[TheColonyEagle]

So I've got this straight:

SMU is desperately throwing $2,000,000 per year at...................June Jones? He's done some good things in the WAC but he deserves to be paid as much as the elite in college football?

Group of big time college coaching salaries (which one doesn't belong):

Pete Carrol USC

Nick Saban Alabama

Mack Brown Texas

Bob Stoops Okalahoma

Urban Meyer Florida

Tommy Tuberville Auburn

Jim Tressel Ohio State

Phillip Fulmer Tennessee

Mark Richt Georgia

Frank Beamer Virginia Tech

Les Miles LSU

Jeff Tetford Cal

June Jones Southern Methodist

SMU has money.................that's all.

If anything this is a commentary on the sad state of affairs at the hilltop. Got a problem? Throw money at it. The problem still remains.

[dodgefan]

There is no way to satisfy some of people. You dog on SMU because they stink, now that they are aggresive in changing that.....you still dog on them. I don't think Steve Orsini, gives a hoot what any of you think, he looks to be trying to do his job. Give credit where it's due, don't fear competition.

[Keith7]

what a waste of money.. SMU will always suck, it doesn't matter who is coaching them..

[EagleMBA]

SMUt is used to being able to buy anything they want. There are some things money will NOT buy...like wins, for instance. A good coach can only do so much, he has to have raw material to build something. Jones will have to modify his recruiting to accommodate SMU's academics because I don't see them moving drastically in the other direction. Jones will become a better-paid version of the last four SMUt coaches IMO.

[SouthernMustang]

SMUt is used to being able to buy anything they want. There are some things money will NOT buy...like wins, for instance. A good coach can only do so much, he has to have raw material to build something. Jones will have to modify his recruiting to accommodate SMU's academics because I don't see them moving drastically in the other direction. Jones will become a better-paid version of the last four SMUt coaches IMO.

From what I read, it seemed that Jones wouldn't agree to come to SMU until they ironed out the admissions restrictions. I think it's a bit much $ to pay Jones, but I think with the lack of support the school has shown -- that kind of $ needed to be spent to show that there is going to be support in the future. The $ is coming from 20 boosters, so the school's not letting other departments get funding cuts just so we can hire him. I still would've rather had Shula but this is certainly still a good hire. I have ?'s on how he's going to work out, but SMU certainly could have done much worse. And I like this hire much much more than Francione or Coker.

Didn't Fran come in and take a 1-10 TCU team to a bowl the next year? I think with some decent coaching, SMU has a roster that can get to 6-7 wins in CUSA. Justin Willis just became a much better QB.

[NM Green]

SMustang - get ready to watch the blue and red take over the Metro.

I lived in Hawaii for 3 years where I saw an entire state come alive under June Jones. He led a dreadful program to the Sugar Bowl. Are you kidding me, from the most isolated populated place in the WORLD (FACT). Now you put him in the center of a recruiting hot bed, where his only passing attack programs of competiion are North Texas, Tech and Baylor - come on! Who now has the nads to walk into living rooms and preach:

1. I can get you to the BCS

2. I can get you to the NFL

3. I can get you to New York for the Heismann

4. I can get you a conference championship

5. I can get you on national television stages in front of a sold out house with people pressed up against the fences at Ford and hanging from the rafters

6. I can get you a game against a national power in the House that Jones built

7. I can get you into the NCAA football Top 10

Yeah - aweful hire.

Getting kids to come to Hawaii is TOUGH for numerous reasons (distance, facilities, lack of national name recognition and history) He will have all of those at SMU.

Now as a fan, I am Mean Green first even Darrell Dickey style of play. But I as a college football fan would pay to watch SMU football if it was entertaining and you know it will be that at a minimum out on the Hilltop. Relax, we are creating that in Denton too, but if people can drive to watch entertaining football in Denton or catch the Dart to Mockingbird people will have choices.

Ladies and gentlemen we are about to have some fierce competition on all fronts. It is time to show them whose pony is bigger. Dig in Mean Green fan and prepare to work!

Way to go SMU!

GO MEAN GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dodgefan]

You make way too much sense dude. Some of these guy's don't realize what good competion can do. Three good teams in the metroplex, would be great for fans and recruiting.