June Jones resigns as SMU head coach
SMU announced Monday that head coach June Jones has resigned. Jones, who was in his seventh season with the program, cited “personal issues” as the reason for his departure.
Jones’ agent, Leigh Steinberg, tweeted that Jones “felt for some time he had accomplished a mission to turn around (the) program” and “needed a break.”
"This afternoon, I talked to my staff and players and notified them that I have decided to resign as SMU head football coach effective immediately,” Jones said in a statement. “It was a very difficult decision for me to make, as you can imagine. I have devoted my life for the last 50 years to playing and coaching this game and it has been a great journey. This job has a lot of demands, as you know, and along with that journey comes a price that is paid. I have some personal issues I have been dealing with and I need to take a step away so I can address them at this time.”
Jones was hired at SMU in 2008 after he spent nine seasons at Hawaii. The school’s fifth coach since the NCAA death penalty in the 80’s, Jones led the team to a 1-11 record in his first season. The team quickly turned it around in 2009 by winning eight games and knocking off Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl – the program’s first bowl win since 1984.
Jones led the Mustangs to at least seven wins in the four following seasons, won two more bowl games and two Conference USA division titles, but his program has struggled in the last two seasons. The Mustangs went 5-7 in 2013 in SMU’s first year in the AAC and started this year 0-2, losing by a combined score of 88-6. The team has a bye this week.
“I would like to thank all the people here at SMU that have supported the vision we have had here,” Jones said. “I feel we have made SMU relevant again in football by going to four bowls in my six years as a Mustang. I am very thankful for the opportunity I was given and wish only the best for the players, coaches and administration at SMU."
Overall, in parts of seven seasons, Jones went 36-43.
The Mustangs will host No. 7 Texas A&M at home on September 20.
For more SMU news, visit PonyPride.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
