Jones settles UH contract dispute

The amount the former UH football coach must pay remains confidential

The University of Hawaii and former football coach June Jones have reached a settlement over the contract dispute involving his departure this year for the coaching job at Southern Methodist University, according to a source knowledgeable about the case.

The Board of Regents was notified of the deal at its meeting yesterday.

Both sides agreed to settle to get the matter behind them as the football season approaches.

The amount remains confidential. His contract called for Jones to pay UH about $400,008 if he left before it expired.

Lawyers for UH and Jones have been involved in confidential talks with mediator Clyde Matsui to resolve the dispute.

UH general counsel Darolyn Lendio and Honolulu attorney Paul Alston, representing Jones, were involved in the mediation.

UH spokeswoman Carolyn Tanaka, responding today to the Star-Bulletin report, denied a settlement had be reached."Mediation discussions have been progressing, and the Board of Regents were informed of the status of matters at their meeting July 31. We're hopeful that a settlement will be reached in the near future," Tanaka said in a written statement. "When and if a settlement is reached, the university believes that it should be made public."

Jones coached for nine seasons before resigning in January to be the coach at SMU, six months before the end of his five-year contract that called for an annual salary of $800,016.

Jones and his agent, Leigh Steinberg, said former athletic director Herman Frazier told Jones he would not have to pay if he left the position early.