JUNE JONES PRESS CONFERENCE COVERAGE

[Webmaster]

I'll post it as fast as I can type it. I'm not the journalist at PF.com, so I'll just hit the bullet points. We'll follow-up with more detailed coverage, player interviews, etc.

[Webmaster]

First up this afternoon was Dr. Turner. Beaming, well-pleased and after making the usual pleasantries made the comment that "SMU is now competitive in admissions."

Steve Orsini was next. Started his comments by restating his goal of making SMU Top 25. "Now we have the coach that's going to take us there."

Steve outline 4 necessary steps to get up to that level. 1) Top 25 facilities: check. 2) A Top 25 Coach: check. 3) His "Circle of Champions" who committed a historic level of funding. 4) Attendance. We've done our part. Now it's "time for everyone to Pony Up and do their part."

[Webmaster]

Steve game thanks to a number of "leaders who were invaluable in this process. My apologies for missing a few...
Carl Sewell
Gerald Ford
Bobby Leach
Paul Lloyd

Also the Letterman's Club president Jim Johnson
Greg Gardner
Chris Rentzel
and current Mustang Andrew Galloway

Evidently both Eric Dickerson and Craig James were very active in the selection process.

He also gave high praise and credit to Jones' friend and agent Leigh Steinberg, who carried this thing forward as Jones focused on his Sugar Bowl campaign.

[mrydel]

Did anyone tell him I said "Hey"?

[Webmaster]

Steve made the point in relation to his Top 25 goal that SMU now had two former NCAA National Coaches of the Year on staff.

Jones is also one of 3 non-BCS coaches to have coached his team to a BCS bowl.

Criteria for coach selection included;
• Proven winner
• Proven recruiter
• Proven leader of young men
• A desire to be at SMU

Made the point that the "timeline of this search was dictated be the quality of the candidate... this winner."

Steve said that Jones' name was suggested by the search firm Bodine, and that his name came up very early in the process. When his name was mentioned, Steve said "Woo, there's a person that meets our criteria."

Fortunately/unfortunately Jones' success was so good this year that it delayed the process.

[Webmaster]

Steve finished his comments by introducing the new head football coach of the SMU Mustangs June Jones.

When Jones came to Dallas, he was pretty sure he was just going to listen to the pitch then head home. But then he "saw the look in their eyes... saw the hunger."

About SMU football: "The only way to go is up, and I'm good at going up."

June's is going to bring excitement. "It's going to be fun to come to the games. It's going to be fun to watch."

"I'm excited about the coaches I've talked to and want to come here."

With regards to the problems the SMU program has had in the past (and perhaps an insight into the Hawaii situation, Jones said, "If everybody isn't on the same page, you're beat before you kick off."

"I'm looking forward to making you proud of SMU."

On leaving Hawaii: "It's more than just leaving. I'm attached to the people of Hawaii, and I'm very attached to my players. But the opportunity here surpasses everything. It's an opportunity for my family. More than anything I can imagine."

[Webmaster]

Coach Jones was asked what other support he'd need to be successful here at SMU.

"The groundwork has been laid by my predecessors." He gave credit to Tom Rossley (who he actually recommended for the SMU job), Mike Cavan (who he's friends with) and Phil Bennett who he knows and respects.

"Everything is here. What it's going to take is for the players to reach a level where they can play together." Jones cited his record with the Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons. "What we do offensively; once people believe, you can win a lot of games and have a lot of fun."

[Webmaster]

On leaving Hawaii:

"the decision to come here was... very apprehensive."

"Hawaii will always be my home."

He says he felt comfortable that if Hawaii makes the right decisions, they'll be able to build on what he's done and keep winning.

On recruiting in the state of Texas:

He knows he can recruit Texas. "My starting secondary is all from Texas."

Jones said his recruiting style was different from other coaches, but "we'll compete at the level we need to to get those players."

[Webmaster]

On financing this deal:

I believe it was TDMN's Kate Hairopoulous who asked about the alleged $10 million raised for Coach Jones.

Dr. Turner replied with "The number you use is the number you use." I guess you had to be there, but his delivery was spot on and pretty damn funny.

Evidently the funds were raised by Steve Orsini's "Circle of Champions" whose names will not be divulged (I wish he'd cough up their names, as I want to buy those MEN a beer!!). The AD is not relying on the University for any of this.

Steve "raised a good bit of money both for the head coach and increased packages for the assistance coaches."

"Ticket sales is a big driver. When you're one and eleven there's not much there."

This is a "package proposal that private funds are providing to pay what's needed for recruiting and assistants."

[Webmaster]

On assistant coaches:

Coach Jones said he had a commitment from coaches (he didn't say who or how many) in Hawaii. He has offered them all.

Jones stated that when he went to Hawaii the situation was so bad that the assistant coach revolving door was something of a running joke. So going forward, he only hired assistant coaches with Hawaiian connections. As an aside, the Sporting News called it "the worst staff ever assembled."

Jones stated that he'll be looking for coaches with Texas ties. "I will confirm coaches in the next few days. I've contacted coaches with Texas ties."

"I think SMU is ready to go. That intrigues and excites me at the same time."

[Webmaster]

On student-athletes and recruiting:

"I have a lot of experience with a lot of QB's. It's a strength that myself and my staff have... Evaluating and meeting them."

"We've addressed the academic standards. We're nationally competitive with what I've been in before."

"The budget is different here (than Hawaii). In Hawaii, ESPN and Fox News were my main recruiters."

With a better budget, Coach Jones will be "more hands-on." He'll be able to see and meet them before asking a player to get on an airplane and come visit.

With regards to whether he intends to keep the Polynesian pipeline open: "I certainly do, there are a lot of players there!" Jones said there are more Polynesian players in the NFL per capita than any other group. He's heard good things about the Polynesian community in Dallas. He also has significant ties in American Samoa.

Jones said he hadn't had time to contact any of SMU's existing recruits yet, although he hoped they would be watching the press conference. "Hopefully they're as excited as everyone in this room appears to be!"

"I have a plan on how to recruit." When he came to Hawaii, it was also late in the recruiting year. "We got many of our best recruits that year after Signing Day. We'll be patient and do it right."

[Webmaster]

On his plans to move to Dallas:

"I need to move to Dallas real quickly. I need to be here and I will."



That's all that I have from the Hilltop. More in-depth coverage coming soon.

Feels good to be a PonyFan again!!

[mavsrage311]

On his plans to move to Dallas:


Feels good to be a PonyFan again!!

Yes it does.

Today is a great day

[ksponymom]

It's always felt great to be a pony fan, today just feels better!!!

[Peruna 2K5]

My headache offically subsided today. Welcome to the Hilltop coach Jones!! Stop by Bailey's 1st and 10 sometime and the burger and beer is on me!