Several weeks ago, I spent some time with June Jones after one of SMU’s morning practices. I was beginning work on a profile of the coach, timed to run with the beginning of next season. Unless I get a job with the Tempe city magazine, I won’t be writing that profile now. I will say, during the time I spoke with Jones, he didn’t seem like a man looking for another job. In fact, the impression that I got, from what he said, was that he probably wouldn’t be at SMU as long as he was at Hawaii, but when he left it would likely be for retirement, not another gig. Apparently, something changed.
Not long ago, I got in touch with SMU sources who shed some light on the possible reasoning behind Jones’ departure. According to them, the main sticking point Jones had with SMU was lack of support, specifically attendance at games. There was, apparently, quite a discrepancy between what SMU would announce and the actual figure. One of the sources said that attendance at the season-ending Rice game was reported as somewhere around 13 or 14,000. “I was at that game,” he said. “There couldn’t have been more than 4,000.” It was frustrating to Jones, and there was no effort or inclination to get around one of the stadium’s main stumbling blocks (only around 6,000 parking spaces) by encouraging fans to take DART. Yes, Jones got a bit more money from ASU, but the source says that wasn’t the driving factor.
Also, Jones wanted to wait until after the Mustangs’ January 7 bowl game against the Pittsburgh Panthers before he made the announcement — as he did when he left Hawaii for SMU — “but ASU wouldn’t have it.”
5 comments
I’m shocked at the general ASU fan/twitterati negative reaction to this. Their 6′8″ QB just got a LOT better, and they should take the PAC-12 South, or whatever it’s called, next year, as long as USC keeps that douche.
Easy there…nothing is finished off yet. Don’t be so quick on publishing a story!
Doesn’t this seem a bit premature. With Tweet, FB and all other internet communication, rumors fly at the speed of light. Maybe a solid journalistic pub like D should wait for verifiable proof or official announcements first. Its what sets your site apart from “Mr. Wizards Wonderland Sports blog” ya know. . IJS.
SMU should fire Jones for breaking his contract by announcing his departure to his staff and calling off recruiting efforts. He has singlehandedly wrecked SMU’s 2012 recruiting prospects by undermining his and the university’s credibility. Add this to his dismal performance the second half of this season, the mediocre performances the past two seasons (given the outstanding young recruits brought into the SMU program) in a mediocre football conference, and his repeated lies to the SMU alums and you see nothing but red flags from this guy. Yes, there has been a conflict between the university president and Jones over recruits who couldn’t meet SMU’s academic standards, but Jones mishandled this conflict as well (those kids could have been brought in as learning disabled under NCAA rules and tutored accordingly but Jones failed to be so creative). All-in-all, Jones has not accomplished what he set out to do at SMU by his fourth year. He’s lost his credibility, and one has to question his character and integrity as a coach.
anyone want to mention the weather at the Rice game?