Friday, December 11, 1998
New coach
scores best deal
in UH history
June Jones' reported
By Paul Arnett
contract is for $2 million
over five years
Star-BulletinThe past few years, Hawaii athletic director Hugh Yoshida has been as lucky as a three-leaf clover, but thanks to a change of heart by June Jones minutes into his interview Tuesday, Yoshida is feeling fortunate once more.
"When I went to the interview, I actually went there to tell them that I didn't want to do the interview; that I was staying" in San Diego, Jones said yesterday. His agent, Leigh Steinberg, "encouraged me to go ahead and do it because he knew for years that I have talked about that job.
"He said I had to go through that process and make a decision. I knew three minutes into the interview that this is what I wanted to do. I started digging into my pockets for the notes I had from interviewing three years ago.
"Unless you've lived in Hawaii, unless you know the people there, it's different than anything else. It's just a passion that I've had and that's what I wanted to do."
Steinberg put together an attractive package for Jones. It's a five-year deal worth $400,000 annually, with an option for a sixth season. It's the highest salary in the history of UH athletics.
"June Jones is an outstanding coach who brings a tremendous amount of experience to our program," Yoshida said. "His reputation for offensive success in the NFL is exceptional.
"He has local ties as a football player and coach at this institution. He is very respected in the football community and is well known for the exciting style that his teams display."
Jones told the local media in a conference call yesterday that he plans to utilize a high-powered passing offense and blend it with an attacking defense.
"My history has been obviously that we're going to throw the ball," Jones said. "I think when you do that it gives you a chance when you're physically not quite what you need to be to compete with some teams that might be better than you.
"So, we're going to throw the football and play wide open. Defensively, I have exactly the same philosophy. My belief is you have to take the football away on defense. And to do that, you have to play very aggressively.
"The blitzes, the new zone dogs and zone blitzes that are happening in the NFL have certainly trickled into college football. It makes you very aggressive coming after people. And at the same time, it allows you the chance to make some plays on defense."
It's a similar style to what former defensive coordinator Don Lindsey ran his first two years in the program. He moved to offense this past year, where he developed a credible passing attack.
Hawaii quarterback Dan Robinson passed for 2,155 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wide receivers Wesley Morris and Dwight Carter combined to catch 91 passes for 1,289 yards and seven scores.
"I'm looking forward to working with the quarterbacks and the receivers," Jones said. "I'm just excited, period, about this opportunity, because it's something I've wanted to do for 10 years.
"My hiring gives them some hope. I played for Fred vonAppen, who's a real good football coach and a real good man. I know he labored hard to lay the groundwork and he's done a lot of positive things that nobody knows much about.
"His graduation rates are very high. He has some good kids there right now that I will probably benefit from. Had he been given a little more time, who knows. But that's the nature of our business."
Although many of the Hawaii players backed Utah's Ron McBride for coach, the feeling yesterday was to move forward.
"Hopefully, Mr. Jones can come in here and give us the spark we need," Hawaii linebacker Chris Garnier said. "We need a coach we can rally around and believe in."
The San Diego players believe Jones can do that and even more.
"We hated to lose June, but we understand why he's going to Hawaii," Pro Bowl linebacker Junior Seau said. "That's his dream. And when you get a chance to follow it, I believe you should."
Former Hawaii standout Maa Tanuvasa was pleased to hear the news when he arrived at the Denver Broncos practice yesterday.
"With his name and the level he's been at, I'm thinking he can bring in some great recruits," said Tanuvasa, who played for the Rainbows during their Holiday Bowl championship season in 1992. "He's the perfect choice to turn the program around."
"I just feel sorry for the kids who've been playing there, putting in all that hard work and nothing good would come out of it," said Tanuvasa.
Jones will arrive Monday. He will hold a news conference, meet the team and may attend a reception held by Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Pat Bigold contributed to this report.
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