About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement June Jones, who led the University of Hawaii to one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history, died today in Oregon.
Jones, 73, had suffered health issues this year and entered hospice two weeks ago, according to a close family friend.
A former UH quarterback in 1973 and 1974, Jones is the winningest coach in UH football history. He turned down an opportunity to be the San Diego Chargers head coach to accept the head coaching job at UH in December of 1998.
After inheriting a program that finished 0-12 the season before, Jones led the Warriors to a 9-4 record and tied for first in the Western Athletic Conference. At the time, it was the greatest turnaround in college football history and earned Jones a National Coach of the Year honor.
Under Jones, the Warriors went 12-0 in the 2007 regular season to win the WAC title and earn a berth in the Bowl Championship Series Sugar Bowl in 2008, losing to Georgia.
After a contract dispute with UH, Jones left for SMU. He coached the Mustangs from 2008 to 2014.
He coached nine seasons at UH from 1999 to 2007 and earned 76 victories, while leading the Rainbow Warriors to six bowl games and three 10-plus win seasons. His teams won two WAC titles and he helped produce record-breaking quarterbacks such as Timmy Chang and Heisman Trophy finalist Colt Brennan.
Jones was inducted into the Hawaii Circle of Honor in 2024.
Known for his offensive mind and bringing the run-and-shoot to Hawaii, Jones was introduced to the offense by Mouse Davis after transferring from UH to Portland State in 1975-76.
Jones was not drafted by the NFL but played for the Atlanta Falcons from 1977 to 1981 and carried that offensive acumen into his coaching career.
He was the quarterbacks coach at UH in 1983, then went to the pros as quarterbacks coach with the Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions and Falcons. Jones was the offensive coordinator for the Falcons from 1991 to 1993 and then became their head coach from 1994 to 1996. He was the quarterbacks coach and interim head coach with the Chargers in 1998, before deciding to take lesser pay to become the head coach at Hawaii.
He last coached as the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2023.
Source: Sports
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