Sidelines
Jones to OSU isn’t
the fit it seems to beDO I think that June Jones is headed for Oregon State? No. I don't. First, because he's always said he wants to stay here, and I believe him. This is the best situation he's going to be in, on a lot of levels, whether UH ends up making him Really Rich or just A Lot Richer Than You and Me. And he knows it.
Second, former OSU coach Mike Riley looks like a front-runner, and it sounds like Riley wants the job. Everyone else is likely just a name on a list, a shot in the dark.
So I say Hawaii fans can rest easy on this one. And yet, this wild scenario is a better fit than a lot of other openings Jones' name has been attached to. You can see why the speculators threw his name in the hat. But let's take a closer look ...
Pro: It's in Oregon.
Con: It's in Oregon.
Pro: A small-town, laid-back media environment, yet you can still get ranked No. 1 by Sports Illustrated.
Con: No, that's a pretty good combination.
Pro: The uniforms are already black.
Con: They probably won't let you change the nickname this time. Stuck with "Beavers."
Pro: An on-campus stadium undergoing an $80 million renovation project.
Con: They have the dreaded AstroTurf.
Pro: The crisp, beautiful great Northwest of your youth.
Con: Pack a jacket. Forget bodysurfing, winter motorcycling and six months of golf.
Pro: A recent commitment to excellence, a program that dominated Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl just two seasons ago.
Con: Can't halt every criticism by trotting out the last guy's won-loss record.
Pro: This would be a step up.
Con: A step up? You've been a head coach in the pros!
Pro: Oregon State is loaded at running back.
Con: So what. That's six plays a game, tops.
Pro: The Beavers have had a spirited rivalry with Fresno State over the last two years, so you could continue to needle Pat Hill.
Con: Oops. It sounded like the OSU administration didn't enjoy the "Thunderdome" atmosphere of the Screwdriver Palace as much as you do. This series will probably end for good after next season.
Pro: The last two coaches have moved on to NFL head coaching jobs.
Con: Yeah. You quit the job Mike Riley took and was soon fired from. Dennis Erickson is walking into that mess in San Francisco, where the front office is always breathing down your neck and a successful Steve Mariucci was mysteriously sacked for no real reason.
Pro: One of the bitterest, most exciting, intense rivalries in all of college football.
Con: And you're a former Duck.
Pro: Gary Payton went there.
Con: OK, now you're just reaching.
Pro: They extend contracts -- in fact, they were about to announce another two-year extension for Erickson through 2009 at $1 million a year.
Con: It's not about the money.
Pro: Family, familiarity, proximity, a fresh, exciting start.
Con: There will never be another job like this one.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com