3 Pm News Conference Set At Smu

[Will to Win]

Jones picks SMU despite Hawaii blitz

By Joe Schad

ESPN.com

(Archive)

Updated: January 7, 2008, 2:01 PM ET

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June Jones will be introduced at a 4 p.m. ET news conference today as the head coach at SMU.

June Jones

Jones

Earlier, Jones' agent, Leigh Steinberg, confirmed that Jones had agreed to a 5-year deal worth about $2 million per year.

On Sunday, a source told ESPN that SMU was close to finalizing the details of a contract for Jones. The source said the deal is expected to be booster-funded. SMU athletic director 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 was moved by Hawaii fans, including Gov. Linda Lingle, who pushed for him to stay. But, ultimately, facilities and a bigger budget won out. Jones called Hawaii officials Monday morning to tell them of his decision.

"He slept on it, finally came to peace and arrived at a decision,'' Steinberg said. "I think he's exhilarated by the challenge, by the environment.''

Jones, who turns 55 next month, has gone 75-41 with Hawaii, including 4-2 in bowls. His teams finished first in the WAC twice and second two other times.

Former SMU coach Phil Bennett, who was let go in October, was the fourth coach to lead SMU since it came off the death penalty in 1989. The Mustangs are 58-153-3 in that span. The on-field struggles have been compounded by the long, slow hunt for Bennett's replacement.

The search has taken about 10 weeks, with SMU going from the first major college with a vacancy to the only one left without a coach. The school received permission to speak with Jones on Dec. 24.

Joe Schad covers college football for ESPN. Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.

[ShopMeanGreen]

Two things come to my mind...1. I would have never thunk it and 2. I don't care...lets talk about North Texas.

[GreenBat]

KGMB Hawai'i video about Jones leaving UH

[NT80]

So, what changes in five years and $10 millon later when Jones resigns and Smut still hasn't won?

[UNTflyer]

Please lock this thread... it has nothing to do with mean green football.

[NTPhiKap99]

So, what changes in five years and $10 millon later when Jones resigns and Smut still hasn't won?

Nothing but at least they tried. They've been a laughing stock for 20 years and now they're opening op their the wallets and going for it. If they fail a couple rich guys have a few bucks less and they start over again with someone else if they're right it's a pretty good investment. I normally can't say anything good about smut but I also can't say anything bad about this move. You've got a guy who won at a non-BCS school with no recruiting budget or history with just location and coaching on his side. Smut has the money to put a winning program and unfortunately they're finally trying to use it. Will it work who knows but for now I'd say it was the right move.

[Green Crazy]

I'm a little nervous. All the hype from the TD Magical Mystery Tour 2007 has now faded and been replaced with something bigger and better (in most outsiders opinions). The worst part is that it's the same style offense (for the most part) and it's been proven to work on the college level, thus attracting some of our recruiting targets (wr's, qb's and possibly ol). This was a good hire by the smu peeps.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Green Crazy

[UNTflyer]

Todd Dodge is a local legend. The magic will only disappear if he fails to turn UNT around.

[Mean Green 93-98]

The high school coaches in Texas know and respect Todd Dodge. They don't know June Jones from Adam (yet). Having that "in," while obviously not the only factor in recruiting, is a big advantage.

Also SMU and UNT are hardly identical schools. SMU is an inner-city private school with a small enrollment, while UNT has a spread out but contained campus with massive enrollment. Different kids are going to be more attracted to one than the other.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

This is an excellent hire for SMU...unfortunately.

Guy had six players from Texas and one from Oklahoma on his roster last year - one from Denton, one from Dallas. He'll recruit a level above us.

[ParksAndRecRick]

This is a grand hire for SMU and deserves our congratulations. I hope we can renew our series and have some exciting football games. Conference USA can be had...and Coach Jones will be at SMU and I would bet he would succees. Nothing better than SMU, TCU and UNT all having some winning seasons and creating some Metroplex football buzz. Just gets everyone's juices following.... and it shows that there is more than the Horns, Aggies and Red Raiders.

Congrats to the SMU A.D.

[Poneez]

This is a grand hire for SMU and deserves our congratulations. I hope we can renew our series and have some exciting football games. Conference USA can be had...and Coach Jones will be at SMU and I would bet he would succees. Nothing better than SMU, TCU and UNT all having some winning seasons and creating some Metroplex football buzz. Just gets everyone's juices following.... and it shows that there is more than the Horns, Aggies and Red Raiders.

Congrats to the SMU A.D.

Thank you for your nice post. Its a good day for the Mustangs. There is no reason our programs cannot be supportive of each other.

[NM Green]

I hear ya! Both SMU and UNT will become strong programs in the Metroplex.

Good move for SMU yet we have a solid 2 - 3 year head start before Junes gets it rolling. Dodge needs 7 wins this year and a bowl game or conference championship next year. The clock has just been put on fast forward for us to get our act together. Jones will need years to get the pony express rolling.

It will be fun race!

GMG

[JesseMartin]

lol Rick sounds like me! I'm thrilled to see SMU get a good and exciting coach.

[DallasGreen]

lol Rick sounds like me! I'm thrilled to see SMU get a good and exciting coach.

Great Move every verbal we have at a skill position is now having second thoughts. Why can SMU expect to win NOW but we are on a four year program and don't even question it? Look at next year's schedule ---we are 1-3 to start at the very best ( blow out loses to LSU,KSU,Tulsa with MAYBE a squeaker over those mean ole' RICE Owls--wait Rice beat SMU in 2007 and we lost by two TD's for the Ponies' ONLY win--maybe 0-4 is more like it).

[emmitt01]

Great Move every verbal we have at a skill position is now having second thoughts. Why can SMU expect to win NOW but we are on a four year program and don't even question it? Look at next year's schedule ---we are 1-3 to start at the very best ( blow out loses to LSU,KSU,Tulsa with MAYBE a squeaker over those mean ole' RICE Owls--wait Rice beat SMU in 2007 and we lost by two TD's for the Ponies' ONLY win--maybe 0-4 is more like it).

Your optimism is infectious. Then again, so is herpes.

[UNTLifer]

Your optimism is infectious. Then again, so is herpes.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

I look at LSU as our $$$ game. KSU and Tulsa don't really worry me if we can get our defense squared away. Rice will sling the ball around, but we should be able to take them. I would be happy with 2-2.