Hawaii Hires June Jones to Turn Around a 0-12 Team

Eugene, Oregon. June Jones, the architect of the run-and-shoot passing system who transformed college football programs at the University of Hawaii and Southern Methodist University, died on Thursday, Oct. 29. He was 73 years old. The university confirmed the news on Oct. 30.

The former quarterback first found his offensive identity at Portland State. There, coach Mouse Davis introduced him to the run-and-shoot scheme during his college playing days. Jones brought that aggressive style into his coaching career, which included stints with the Atlanta Falcons and the San Diego Chargers in the NFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL.

His most visible impact came in college football. Hawaii hired Jones in 1999 after finishing a season with zero wins and 12 losses. In his first year, he led the Rainbow Warriors to a 9-4 record and a victory in the Oahu Bowl. He later took the helm at SMU, where he guided the Mustangs to four consecutive bowl games. That streak included the school's first postseason appearance in 25 years.

Before coaching, Jones played in the NFL from 1977 to 1981. He served as a backup to Steve Bartkowski for the Falcons and started five professional games. After his NFL career ended, he played one season for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.

Jones grew up in Portland, Ore., where he played football, basketball, and baseball at Grant High School. He attended the University of Oregon and the University of Hawaii before transferring to Portland State. His biographical record notes his multi-sport background during high school years.

The University of Hawaii stated that no official cause of death has been announced. SMU noted that Jones helped restore a winning tradition for the program. He continued to spread the run-and-shoot offense through his certification company after retiring from head coaching.