It was anything but a banner from the past few months for Hawaii’s football program. In December, many Rainbow Warrior players announced San Francisco Chronicles Verbal and emotional abuse by then-coach Todd Graham. A month later, Graham was before two Hawaii Senate committees to testify under oath about what happened on the show.
A week later, Graham resigned after two seasons and an 11-11 record in Manoa. The college has been looking for his replacement since then, and it seems a reunion with June Jones, the coach with the most wins in the program’s history, would be appropriate.
Both sides remained as concerned as recently as Friday, but then things took a turn for the worse quickly and openly.
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Jones began by quashing rumors of a comeback. He told local media that while he was still interested in the job, he could not accept it as it had been given to him by sporting director David Matlin. He went into detail about the process after walking out of the negotiation; In particular, he listed the regulations with which he specifically questioned.
“I still want that job, but I wasn’t really offered a job in the interest of winning. How are you going to hire when you only have a two-year contract? I told Dave.” [Matlin] I’m going to sign a five-year contract and you can fire me anytime, no penalty,” Jones said. How are you going to recruit when the kids want to know who their coach will be in the next four or five years? ”
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Beyond the length of the contract, Jones is particularly opposed to ceding control of personnel decisions. The Hawaii government is said to have a succession plan in place, and it includes Jones hiring Colorado State coach Timmy Chang, who was a star quarterback under Jones in Hawaii from 2000-04.
UPDATE: Hawaii appointed Chang as its new head coach on Saturday night. Jones said he would “help him as much as possible” but would not join his staff.
“I’ve never taken a job that stipulates who I can hire and who I can’t – and I don’t think any coach with the right mindset would take such a job,” he said. I said. “They offered, but couldn’t accept what they offered.”
Sources told ESPN that the school wants Timmy Chang as its eventual successor. Jones has no problem with Chang, the former star defender. But Steinberg told ESPN that Jones wanted full control of the employees. Jones still wants to do the job, but only with control over hiring. https://t.co/FUgH2to7ll
– Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 22, 2022
Jones, 68, led the Rainbow Warriors from 1999-07. He’s won two conference titles, won double-digit games three times, and led the show to a top 15 ranking in his final season. Hawaii was 0-12 the season before Jones arrived and had lost 18 games in a row.
As contract terms and staffing decisions preoccupy Jones, he said his familiarity with the program has prompted him to reconsider.
“It’s not about the money. It’s not about anything other than trying to help the local kids and the Hawaiians and the incredible support everywhere I go,” he said. “Hopefully they reconsider. It’s not like I don’t know how to spin a show and it’s not like it’s anything different or revolutionary than when I was here before.”
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Then Hawaii’s authorities responded. Through spokesman Dan Meisenzahl, it criticized Jones for its handling of the negotiations, saying it was not “honest.”
UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl offers June Jones college head coach talks: questioning his integrity and character and opening approach: It’s not an honest negotiation, it’s about creating enough pressure to force UH to surrender.” #HawaiiFB @ KITV4 pic.twitter.com/TCmUMtj9JM
– Tom George (@TheTomGeorge) January 22, 2022
Meisenzahl said that Jones walked out of talks yesterday after 30 minutes and spoke to the media too much in the process.
“Jones shows no integrity to the process.”
– Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) January 22, 2022
Jones said he’s still interested in the job but the ball is on Hawaii’s court.
As for whether the feeling of reunion is mutual, UH said the work is still open.
Jones said he’s still interested in the job in Hawaii.
Asked if that door was still open, Meisenzahl said, “Work is still open. Time is of the essence. We are moving forward. The job is not yet filled.”
– Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) January 22, 2022
Then Hawaii hired Chang.
This article has been updated with Hawaii hire Chang.
