DALLAS - June Jones officially resigned from his post as head coach of the University of Hawai`i football program Monday and was announced as the new coach of Southern Methodist University. Jones leaves UH after nine years after helping to resurrect a program which went 0-12 prior to his arrival to 12-1 and an Allstate Sugar Bowl appearance this past year.

Jones, 54, takes over a Mustang program which finished 1-11 and placed last in the Conference USA West Division. SMU has one winning season since 1989 and has not made a bowl game since the 1984 Aloha Bowl.

"All of us definitely wanted Coach June Jones to continue at UH Manoa," said Manoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw. "He has accomplished so very much here in Hawai`i, and his nine-year UH coaching record shows that he is truly a transformational leader."

At Hawai`i, Jones led the Warriors to seven winning seasons and posted nine wins or more six times. This past season, UH concluded a perfect 12-0 regular season, captured its first outright Western Athletic Conference championship, and posted the highest national ranking (10th) in school history. The Warriors won a school-record 13 straight games before falling to Georgia 41-10 in the Sugar Bowl, the school's first-ever Bowl Championship Series game appearance.

"Like all of Hawai`i, I'm greatly disappointed that Coach Jones has decided to take this new opportunity at SMU," University President David McClain said. "June has done so much for our University and our community, and we wish him every success."

In nine seasons, Jones accumulated a 76-41 record and is the second winningest coach in school history, behind Otto "Proc" Klum's 84 wins. He was awarded his third WAC Coach of the Year in 2007 and was a finalist for several national coach of the year awards.

An offensive mastermind, Jones guided UH's run-and-shoot attack to a top-five national ranking in passing offense each year. In 2007, the Warriors led the nation in scoring, ranked second in passing and third in total offense. Jones also mentored two NCAA record-breaking quarterbacks. In 2004, Timmy Chang became the NCAA's all-time passing leader with 17,072 yards. Colt Brennan, who quarterbacked the Warriors the past three seasons, is the NCAA's all-time touchdowns leader with 131. Brennan also holds 31 NCAA records and in 2007, finished third in the Heisman Trophy race.

"During negotiations with Coach Jones and his agent, the University was able to offer a financially competitive package," Hinshaw said. "In addition, UH gave assurances that non-financial matters of concern would be promptly addressed. In the end, however, Coach Jones informed us that his decision to accept the SMU position was based on his desire to undertake a new challenge and a new beginning at this point in his life."

Jones led UH to six bowl appearances in nine years. In addition to this year's Sugar Bowl appearance, the Warriors participated and won the 2003, '04, and '06 Sheraton Hawai`i bowls and the 1999 Jeep O`ahu Bowl. UH also competed in the 2002 ConAgra Foods Hawai`i Bowl.

In 1999, the Warriors were the NCAA's comeback team, posting a 9-4 record after a winless 1998 campaign. The Warriors captured a share of the WAC championship and earned a spot in the O`ahu Bowl. For his efforts, Jones was selected as the national coach of the year by various publications and earned one of his three WAC Coach of the Year awards (1999, 2006 & '07).

During his tenure, Jones coached 16 NFL Draft picks, seven All-Americans, and 101 all-WAC picks. His teams broke or tied 411 school records and 53 NCAA marks.

Jones, who attended UH as a player in 1973-74, enjoyed a 12-year coaching career in the NFL prior to joining the Warriors in 1999. Jones also coached at Atlanta (1994-96) and San Diego (1998).

"So, even though this was not the outcome any of us wanted, we do wish him well in gratitude for all he has contributed to our lives here in Hawai`i and beyond - mahalo nui loa to Coach Jones for nine years of dedication as a coach and as a former UH player and student," Hinshaw said. "It is now our responsibility to build on Coach Jones' success that we all have enjoyed on this great ride, particularly this year. A search for a new head football coach will begin immediately."

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