Adidas410s
01-07-2008, 11:59 AM
(from Honolulu paper)
1310AM in Dallas reported this morning that the contract is 5 years/$10 million
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Jan/07/br/br5907241368.html
June Jones, University of Hawai'i's winningest football coach, has reportedly accepted a position to be the next head coach at Southern Methodist University today.
His new contract is believed to be valued at between $1.85 and $2 million annually over five years.
Last night, signs pointed to momentum changing in UH's favor as the school made an all-out effort to keep Jones, whose contract expires June 30.
Jones arrived in Dallas yesterday morning with the intent of becoming SMU's next head football coach.
But Jones' agent Leigh Steinberg said Jones began to have second thoughts after receiving an outpouring of e-mails and cell-phone calls from Warrior supporters.
What's more, UH president David McClain, who took the lead in negotiations, addressed Jones' concerns about plans to improve the athletic facilities and the football program's resources.
"I don't think there's any question that June came here (to Dallas) meaning to make the change," Steinberg said. "But, obviously, his heart has been in Hawai'i. These calls and interactions he's had (Saturday) in person and (yesterday) on the phone and by e-mail are making it difficult.
"June has been deluged with calls from the Islands exhorting him to stay," Steinberg added. "I received a call from Gov. Lingle, and she asked if there's anything she could do."
However, this morning sources said Jones accepted the job to become SMU's coach, replacing Phil Bennett, who was fired Oct. 28.
Jones arrived in Texas yesterday to meet with SMU officials on the private school's Dallas campus.
Jones and Steinberg met with SMU president R. Gerald Turner. They had lunch at the home of Gerald J. Ford, a billionaire who donated $20 million for the campus stadium named after him. Ford is a member of the SMU board of trustees.
They also had a meeting with the search committee, during which Jones was offered the lucrative deal.
Later, Jones and Steinberg had dinner with several SMU alumni, including Dan Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs.
But UH did not back away. McClain sent Steinberg and Jones a list of proposed improvements for the football program.
UH also reaffirmed its offer of a five-year contract with a base salary of $1.3 million annually, according to sources. If Jones stays the entire five years, he would receive a $1 million bonus, sources said.
But Steinberg said Jones was not focused on producing the "best" financial deal. Jones earns $800,016 annually on a five-year contract that expires June 30. Half of the contract is paid by donors, the school said.
"It's never been about (money)," Steinberg said. "It was about commitment. It wasn't until (McClain's list yesterday that) I saw anything in writing about the (UH) facilities."
SMU is a member of the 12-team Conference USA and finished 1-11 overall and 0-8 in the conference last season. The Conference USA, like the Western Athletic Conference in which UH is a member, is not one of the six BCS conferences with an automatic berth to a BCS bowl.
Jones was hired by UH in December 1998 and resurrected a football program that had just finished the season at 0-12. With a record of 76-41, Jones has accumulated the most victories of any UH coach. In his nine years at UH, he has had seven winning seasons. He received a five-year contract extension and a raise from $320,000 in 2003. Since then, Jones had four winning seasons in five years, earned four bowl berths, and accumulated records of 11-3 and 12-1 the past two seasons. The 2007 season was capped by the school's first invitation to a Bowl Championship Series bowl, the Sugar Bowl in the Superdome in New Orleans.
1310AM in Dallas reported this morning that the contract is 5 years/$10 million
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Jan/07/br/br5907241368.html
June Jones, University of Hawai'i's winningest football coach, has reportedly accepted a position to be the next head coach at Southern Methodist University today.
His new contract is believed to be valued at between $1.85 and $2 million annually over five years.
Last night, signs pointed to momentum changing in UH's favor as the school made an all-out effort to keep Jones, whose contract expires June 30.
Jones arrived in Dallas yesterday morning with the intent of becoming SMU's next head football coach.
But Jones' agent Leigh Steinberg said Jones began to have second thoughts after receiving an outpouring of e-mails and cell-phone calls from Warrior supporters.
What's more, UH president David McClain, who took the lead in negotiations, addressed Jones' concerns about plans to improve the athletic facilities and the football program's resources.
"I don't think there's any question that June came here (to Dallas) meaning to make the change," Steinberg said. "But, obviously, his heart has been in Hawai'i. These calls and interactions he's had (Saturday) in person and (yesterday) on the phone and by e-mail are making it difficult.
"June has been deluged with calls from the Islands exhorting him to stay," Steinberg added. "I received a call from Gov. Lingle, and she asked if there's anything she could do."
However, this morning sources said Jones accepted the job to become SMU's coach, replacing Phil Bennett, who was fired Oct. 28.
Jones arrived in Texas yesterday to meet with SMU officials on the private school's Dallas campus.
Jones and Steinberg met with SMU president R. Gerald Turner. They had lunch at the home of Gerald J. Ford, a billionaire who donated $20 million for the campus stadium named after him. Ford is a member of the SMU board of trustees.
They also had a meeting with the search committee, during which Jones was offered the lucrative deal.
Later, Jones and Steinberg had dinner with several SMU alumni, including Dan Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs.
But UH did not back away. McClain sent Steinberg and Jones a list of proposed improvements for the football program.
UH also reaffirmed its offer of a five-year contract with a base salary of $1.3 million annually, according to sources. If Jones stays the entire five years, he would receive a $1 million bonus, sources said.
But Steinberg said Jones was not focused on producing the "best" financial deal. Jones earns $800,016 annually on a five-year contract that expires June 30. Half of the contract is paid by donors, the school said.
"It's never been about (money)," Steinberg said. "It was about commitment. It wasn't until (McClain's list yesterday that) I saw anything in writing about the (UH) facilities."
SMU is a member of the 12-team Conference USA and finished 1-11 overall and 0-8 in the conference last season. The Conference USA, like the Western Athletic Conference in which UH is a member, is not one of the six BCS conferences with an automatic berth to a BCS bowl.
Jones was hired by UH in December 1998 and resurrected a football program that had just finished the season at 0-12. With a record of 76-41, Jones has accumulated the most victories of any UH coach. In his nine years at UH, he has had seven winning seasons. He received a five-year contract extension and a raise from $320,000 in 2003. Since then, Jones had four winning seasons in five years, earned four bowl berths, and accumulated records of 11-3 and 12-1 the past two seasons. The 2007 season was capped by the school's first invitation to a Bowl Championship Series bowl, the Sugar Bowl in the Superdome in New Orleans.