No Coaching Change at SMU per USA Today / Dan Wolken

[ponyinNC]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/12/11/june-jones-to-stay-at-smu/3986157/

SMU officials will meet with football coach June Jones later this week, but a person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports the school will not make a coaching change unless Jones chooses to leave. The person spoke on the condition because the matter was supposed to be private.

Jones has one year remaining on his current contract. He told the Dallas Morning News last week SMU had offered to extend his contract and that he would "probably" stay.

Jones, 60, quickly turned around the moribund SMU program, going from 1-11 his first season to four straight bowl games. SMU's progress has stagnated, however, and this year's 5-7 record was a mild disappointment.

There has been significant speculation within the coaching community that Jones might be interested in returning to Hawaii, where he still owns a home and plans to retire, if that job were to open. Hawaii went 1-11 this season, but it appears the school will bring back Norm Chow for a third season.

Jones went 76-41 at Hawaii, including a berth in the 2007 Sugar Bowl, before accepting a $2 million annual contract from SMU.

Another person close to Jones, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said Jones has clashed with the SMU administration over issues like nonconference scheduling and academic standards for recruits that are higher than the school's competitors.

[Mustangsabu]

Well if this is the case there is a lot to be done to right this ship.

[NavyCrimson]

Well, at least we can move on.

As for as the nonconference scheduling. What a joke!!! Those schedules are made far in advance. Everyone assumed that by JJ's 5th & 6th year, the scheduling wouldn't be an issue - but I guess they are when your program stagnates due to a lack of recruiting. Sorry excuse!

Oh well. On to other battles -

[CalallenStang]

Doesn't say he is staying

[ponyinNC]

Doesn't say he is staying

changed the thread title to what it actually says - "No coaching change" unless Jones wants to leave.

[PonyTime]

"Another person close to Jones" = L. Steinberg

[redpony]

really tired of jj using the 'higher academic requirements' excuse. Also, the schedule was designed with the belief that he would recruit and build a program that would be competitive with mid-tier BCS schools.
GO AWAY JJ- WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RepublicanPNY]

This doesn't surprise me. I didn't expect June to walk away from $2M and I didn't expect SMU to pay him $2M to leave. It sux but what can you do.

[redpony]

Real simple- you send RGT a message by not buying season tickets and giving money to the MC. Money and donations are the ony thing that clown understands.

[ponyinNC]

This doesn't surprise me. I didn't expect June to walk away from $2M and I didn't expect SMU to pay him $2M to leave. It sux but what can you do.

what i can do personally is find another team to root for - a team that actually values having a winning football program.

i can express my displeasure by not taking a trip to Dallas for a game, which I usually do. i can just let it go and i will probably be a much happier person.

[PonyTime]

Steinberg and Jones are leaking this info every few days to try to get into the media to say "Hey, I'm Available and not happy here" in hopes that there might be a better situation that presents itself.

Jones will wait to see the dominos fall from the big hires to see what happens at the second tier and if there is no interest in his services, he will sign and return.

Unfortunately the Hawaii thing looks to be off the table, which was the most likely school that he would go to for perhaps less $$$.

[Nacho]

typical smu if they keep him.
larry brown luck doesn't happen very often.

[couch 'em]

This fits the "mutual parting" conclusion perfectly. June takes reduced or eliminated buyout to leave in exchange for the story to be he left on his own, not that he was fired. June wins, SMU wins. I think this was worked out long long ago.

[mr. pony]

story say 5-7 was "a mild disappointment."

To whom, JJ?

[Rebel10]

This fits the "mutual parting" conclusion perfectly. June takes reduced or eliminated buyout to leave in exchange for the story to be he left on his own, not that he was fired. June wins, SMU wins. I think this was worked out long long ago.

I that is the case the dissatisfied lemurs will be on another level of dissatisfaction.