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The winningest head coach in the University of Hawaii’s Division I football history is seeking to fix a publicly damaged program and implement a new and improved version of the run-and-shoot offense.
Jones, 68, has applied for the head coaching job that was vacated when Todd Graham resigned last week after two seasons. Graham departed in the aftermath of key departures, as well as publicly aired complaints from players that received national attention and sparked some state senators to call an informational hearing. With two recruiting weekends ahead of the Feb. 2 signing period, the Warriors have about 20 scholarships to fill and are embarked on their third head coaching search in six years.
Athletic director David Matlin, who will make the recommendation to UH president David Lassner, is on the mainland. A new coach could be named as early as this week.
“I’m passionate about the program and I hate to see it in the condition it is,” Jones said. “I know that I’ve done it before. I know I can do it again. At least, hopefully, get another chance to do it.”
In nine seasons under Jones, the Warriors compiled a 76-41 record, punctuated with the 12-0 regular season in 2007. That year, the Warriors were invited to the 2008 Sugar Bowl and quarterback Colt Brennan was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Jones, who called the offensive plays, developed Timmy Chang, Nick Rolovich and Brennan into record-setting quarterbacks. He helped transform Ikaika Alama-Francis, a walk-on basketball player, into a defensive end selected in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Jones was influential in helping to rebrand a football program that was winless the season before he was hired at UH. Jones brought in Hall of Fame groundskeeper George Toma to maintain the grass practice field. As a favor to Jones, Emmy Award-winning composer Mike Post crafted a theme song for the Warriors at no charge.
Jones indicated he would not negotiate a contract extension once the 2007 training opened. UH did not make an offer by the deadline. A week after the Sugar Bowl, Jones resigned at UH to become SMU’s head coach. UH officials demanded that Jones pay for the six months remaining on his five-year contract. Because Jones’ $800,000 annual salary was divided between UH and donors, the university believed it was entitled to half of the remaining $400,000. A settlement was reached in which Jones paid for UH’s share.
Jones has been a head coach in the NFL, Canadian Football League and XFL. He has a future deal to coach in the refashioned XFL.
If hired at UH, he would implement a version of the run-and-shoot that he initially learned under Mouse Davis, the scheme’s co-architect, and that he used successfully at several stops.
“We would be running an updated (and) improved (run-and-shoot),” Jones said. “Every year, if you’re not improving the offense 15, 16%, you know, defenses are gaining on you. We’ve addressed a lot of things, from that time from coaching the CFL, coaching the XFL, and SMU. … You’d recognize it when we run it, but there are a lot of unique tweaks that are different.”
Jones picked up an endorsement from football analyst Rich Miano, a former UH assistant coach and all-league safety who played 11 NFL seasons. Miano said he withdrew his candidacy for the UH job to support Jones. “We hope this program can become the great program it once was,” Miano said.
As an assistant coach under Jones from 1999 through the 2008 Sugar Bowl, Miano recalled similar obstacles for UH, such as facilities and funding. Of Jones, Miano said: “He’s the ultimate players’ coach. … He’s capable of making sure the kids have a great experience, whether it’s nutrition or apparel or winning. The most important thing is to treat the players the way they deserve to be treated. He does that.”
Brian Smith, a former UH offensive coordinator and center, and Chang, who now coaches Colorado State’s receivers, appear to be among the top candidates.
Saint Louis School’s AJ Bianco, widely considered the state’s top quarterback, committed to UH in October but held off signing in December. Bianco said he wanted to see UH’s situation ahead of the February signing period. Bianco said he knows the purported coaching candidates, and that has strengthened his feelings toward UH. He said he expects to make a decision “sometime soon.”
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