In his 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech, Warren Moon thanked a long list of those who helped put him on the road to Canton, Ohio.

One of them was his old Houston Oilers quarterback coach, June Jones, who he offered a salute “… for helping turn my career around in the early days.”

It remains the most noteworthy of the credits on Jones’ considerable resume as a quarterback whisperer, but hardly the last.

Or, as it now turns out, the most challenging.

That task began unfolding in preseason camp in Canada this week as Jones, who now coaches the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, seeks to resurrect the dead-ending career of the party-hardy Johnny Manziel.

On what would seem to be the last shot to salvage a pro career, “Johnny Football” — the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner — might finally have landed in the most capable of hands.

History tells us the 65-year old Jones is adept at quarterback reclamation projects, no matter what the circumstances.

At Houston, for example, the Oilers were so down on Moon after two seasons they took another quarterback with their No 1 pick in the 1986 draft and were poised to trade Moon to Oakland before Jones interceded.

“I had to talk people into not trading him,” Jones recalled in a 1989 interview. “I said, ‘Let me work with the guy before you try to trade him because he does things (that) you can’t do.’”

Which brings us to Manziel, whose skill set, in the right setting — and with the right attitude — can be a difference-maker.

That’s the thing with Jones, he not only sees things in quarterbacks that others haven’t, but he is able to both motivate them and frame circumstances for success.

“A lot of people I’ve trusted and talked to in NFL circles really like June and really like his (ability) to help quarterbacks,” Manziel told the CFL media.

On these shores witness the reclamation projects that were Dan Robinson and Colt Brennan, to name a couple. Robinson was so battered and bruised after the 30 sacks he suffered in the 0-12 season of 1998 that, in fearing for his safety, family members beseeched him to give up a senior season at UH.

But talked into giving it one more shot when Jones came aboard in 1999, Robinson flourished, setting school records and helping guide the ‘Bows to a 9-4 finish that marked the best single-season turnaround in NCAA history.

Brennan was a junior college player with a questionable past and raw abilities when he landed at UH in 2005. He departed in 2008 as a Heisman Trophy finalist and NFL Draft pick.

Then came the historic turnaround of Southern Methodist, a program starved of postseason play for 22 years until Jones took them to a bowl in his second season, 2009.

More recently, take a man that Manziel must beat out for the starting job in Hamilton, Jeremiah Masoli. Last season — as a mid-year replacement head coach at 0-8 Hamilton — Jones freed Masoli from the bench and the well-traveled ex-Saint Louis Crusader, Oregon Duck, Ole Miss Rebel, Omaha Nighthawk and Edmonton Eskimo compiled a career-best 3,177 yards and 15 touchdowns. That earned him a two-year contract extension.

Already bookmakers are serving up odds for those intrigued by the Jones-Manziel coupling. Bovada, a sportsbook, lists the odds of Manziel winning the CFL’s most outstanding player award in 2018 (10/1). Just the news of Manziel’s signing jumped Hamilton to an 11/2 pick to win the Grey Cup.

You can also bet on Manziel’s over/under on regular-season passing touchdowns (23.5), yards (3,900) and interceptions (11.5).

Less readily available are the odds on Jones failing to succeed. They’d likely be long ones, indeed.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.