January 4, 2008
June Jones to interview at SMU
More details out of Dallas regarding one of the more... curious, I suppose you would say... rumors of the college football coaching carosel.
According to the Dallas Morning News, SMU has let it be known that they are prepared to offer Hawaii HC June Jones between $1.7 million and $2 million per year and Jones will interview with the Mustangs tomorrow in Dallas.
...[June Jone's agent Leigh] Steinberg on Friday confirmed that he and Jones are in discussions with SMU. Steinberg said Jones received permission from Hawaii to explore other options shortly before Christmas. Steinberg handled the discussions as Jones was preparing Hawaii for the Sugar Bowl. Talks have picked up since Hawaii's season ended with a 41-10 loss to Georgia.
Jones "does have an interest in exploring the discussion," Steinberg said. "We're on a reasonably rapid timeframe."
Jones met with both the Hawaii AD and UH president today, but its unclear if his SMU interview was scheduled before or after his UH meetings.
The Honolulu Advertiser reports that Jones also has been contacted by an unnamed NFL team.
The DMN reports that Hawaii has made an offer to extend Jones' contract, but the details of the proposal have not been released. Jones' salary, which is set to expire June 30, is $800,016 per year.
For those sharing my line of thinking....
Get ready for a warm weekend! Temperatures will climb into the middle to upper 70s Saturday and Sunday which is 20 - 25 degrees above normal....
So... why would Jones leave Hawaii for SMU?
Money
While the Honolulu lifestyle certainly seems to fit Jones, can we all agree that there is a substantial difference between $2 million a year and $800K a year? SMU has laid the financial foundation to land a top-tier coach, including setting aside a wad of cash to pay assistants. While Jones himself has downplayed his salary, he has clamored for better pay for his assistants. Hawaii has a $2.2 million dollar annual athletic budget TOTAL. The Mustangs are ready and willing to spend money.
Facilities
With the exception of the pretty floral leis, there's not much on the UH campus that would compare to most FBS facilities. The Warriors have an athletic facility that could best be described as "rickety". In fact, several HIGH SCHOOLS in Texas boast better facilities. Meanwhile, SMU has a new stadium and athletic facilities that stack up favorably with schools many times their size.
Frustation
Jones has been asking for improvements and a larger commitment to the football program for several years. While UH has made some progress, the fact remains that true progress is still years away.
So... when you go with the numbers, it's easy to see that the SMU may be barking up the right tree at the right time. However, what you can't factor is Jones' relationship with the Hawaiian people.
Before Jones arrived, the only UH sport that received any sizable following was women's volleyball. But Jones has converted the island and the Hawaiians have the Warriors coach. He is a beloved celebrity in Hawaii and has created a passion for football. Prior to the June Jones revolution, it's almost impossible to imagine fans traveling to the "mainland" for a bowl game. But there they were in New Orleans (and in pretty respectable numbers).
It's hard to weigh that sense of belonging, but you can be certain that Jones will.
UPDATE January 6, 2008 12:22 AM
June Jones has resigned at Hawaii.
Comments:
Tomcat said:
posted on January 4, 2008 10:27 PM — 69.153.80.147 — link — abuse?
@3 ya your right and their girls are prettier and the Mustangs are in prime recruiting country.
The cost of living in the DFW area is alot cheaper than on the islands of H were everything is shipped in.
Coondawg knows that Boise & Hawaii arent really as good as most Sun Belt or C-USA teams and he is about as relevent as that s--- I took this morning. His mama is off to her job at the Texaco as the WAC is wack, its okay coondawg
Adios Tomcatkershawdw said:
posted on January 5, 2008 1:25 AM — 24.136.33.6 — link — abuse?
I say take the 2 million Jones. You have shown hawaii nothing but loyalty, you built a program that was non existent before you got there. $800,000 is alot of money but living in Hawaii I can imagine it isn't that great. Plus I am sure your assistants are getting paid jack. You put your time in and now its time to relax!
KEVIN- any rumor as to who the NFL team is? I am thinking Dolphins or Atlanta?Zac said:
posted on January 5, 2008 10:51 AM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?
Hawaii to Miami wouldn't be much difference, except learning to live in a new time zone. (God, imagine loosing 5 or 6 hours sleep in just one trip.) Atlanta's a little (just a little, mind you) colder in the winter and has a few more ice events, but is probably a better city than Miami. I think I'd still take SMU.
College Pigskin Fan said:
posted on January 5, 2008 1:29 PM — 4.245.18.17 — link — abuse?
It's so bad in Hawaii that they can't even come to the lower 48 to recruit. Hawaii has a very low recruiting budget, somewhere around $50,000. I heard this while listening on Fox Sport Radio last night.
There's more money at SMU than I could have imagined. They have an endowment of $1.328 billion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Methodist_University
I give SMU credit for trying to pump life into their football program that was once given a NCAA death sentence.
posted on January 5, 2008 4:20 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
Pigskin Fan: I can assure you, with no doubt, that endowment money definitely will not be spent on athletics. Not directly, at least.
Endowment money is invested by the university, and they spend the earned interest on university operations, preserving the principal to be continuously re-invested in perpetuity.
Some schools, particularly those with ivy on the walls, are accused of not spending all their investment income, therefore raising tuition costs unnecessarily.
I think Havard has the highest endowment, at like $26B or something. Anything over one billion isn't that bad.
Tomcat said:
posted on January 5, 2008 10:40 PM — 69.153.80.147 — link — abuse?
WarEagATL interesting, thinking about an upgrade on one of my vehicles- 98 Dodge 1500 PU 6 cyl,reg cab SB with headache rack, toolbox, heavy rear bumper, towing package,10 ply tires, 82,800 miles
some interior & exterior sun damage, few small scratches
ETC. good work truck-
Thinking bout upgrading to ex-cab/V8- long bed-4wd- Chev-Dodge whatever-
Hookem-Horns
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Zac said:
posted on January 4, 2008 9:11 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?Hell, yeah!!! For $1.7 M, I'd be willing to drop the Haka for the TX 2-Step. Goooooo Mustangs!!!