Hawaii Makes Counter Offer

[UNTflyer]

HONOLULU -- The University of Hawaii has offered football coach June Jones a contract that would make him the highest-paid coach in the Western Athletic Conference or the Mountain West Conference.

Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier told The Honolulu Advertiser the school's president, the UH-Manoa chancellor and himself collectively made the offer.

They made it both to Jones directly and later to his agent Leigh Steinberg.

Jones is traveling to Dallas this weekend to discuss the open head coaching position at SMU.

Jones is coming off the most successful season in UH history, going 12-0 in the regular season before losing to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

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NOTE: Currently, the highest paid coach in the WAC/MWC is Pat Hill, who makes $1.2 million at Fresno State. That means Hawaii's counter offer is pretty darn close to SMU's offer.

[UNTFan23]

Where SMU struggles in recruiting is its academic requirements for enrollment. If any coach can get them to ease up on those requirements should be able to have some success on the field.

[NT80]

Where SMU struggles in recruiting is its academic requirements for enrollment. If any coach can get them to ease up on those requirements should be able to have some success on the field.

They also have difficulty recruiting to their campus' "country club elite" culture. It's hard for small town kids or inner city kids to relate to classroom peers who drive BMWs and Mercedes.

[good_ken]

HONOLULU -- The University of Hawaii has offered football coach June Jones a contract that would make him the highest-paid coach in the Western Athletic Conference or the Mountain West Conference.

Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier told The Honolulu Advertiser the school's president, the UH-Manoa chancellor and himself collectively made the offer.

They made it both to Jones directly and later to his agent Leigh Steinberg.

Jones is traveling to Dallas this weekend to discuss the open head coaching position at SMU.

Jones is coming off the most successful season in UH history, going 12-0 in the regular season before losing to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

-------------------------

NOTE: Currently, the highest paid coach in the WAC/MWC is Pat Hill, who makes $1.2 million at Fresno State. That means Hawaii's counter offer is pretty darn close to SMU's offer.

So I guess the SMU interview was to provide leverage for his UH raise.

What is the current over/under on SMU getting a coach: the ides of March?

[untphd]

Where SMU struggles in recruiting is its academic requirements for enrollment. If any coach can get them to ease up on those requirements should be able to have some success on the field.

I thought they did away with those requirements. This was supposed to level the playing field, so to speak.

[UNTflyer]

I thought they did away with those requirements. This was supposed to level the playing field, so to speak.

Well, part of the problem at SMU is that they don't have a Phys.Ed. major for their players.

[untphd]

Well, part of the problem at SMU is that they don't have a Phys.Ed. major for their players.

They have a huge P.E Dept. I guess that is part of their problem.