In Today’s Episode with Coach June Jones:
– In 2012 SMU defeated Fresno State in the Hawaii Bowl. You had a special speaker in the pre-game chapel. Who was it and what difference did he make?
– How has the Lord helped you through difficult times?
– What is your favorite Scripture verse? Why?
– What would you say to someone going through a tough time right now?
A Welsh Proverb says, “He that would be a leader must also be a bridge.” What kind of bridge? A bridge of hope…resources…opportunities…future…to Christ…that’s the story of our guest, Coach June Jones, in part 2 of this 2 part special.
In 2012 the Southern Methodist University Mustangs became Hawai’i Bowl Champs after winning big over Fresno State, 43-10. After four seasons at the helm of the SMU football program, June Jones has proven again that he is master architect in building and rebuilding football programs. In 2008, Jones took over an SMU program that had not been to a bowl game in nearly a quarter century. Despite its rich tradition, SMU had struggled since the early 1980s and the days of the “Pony Express” (Eric Dickerson).
Jones and the Mustangs changed all that in 2009, however, snapping a 25-year bowl drought, claiming a Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Championship. A winner of three National Coach of the Year Awards in his career, Jones was named Conference USA Coach of the Year by The Sporting News in 2009, marking the fourth Conference Coach of the Year Award for Jones in his 11 seasons as a head coach. In 2010, SMU made its first appearance in the Conference USA Championship game, earning its second straight C-USA Western Division title. The 2011 season produced another eight wins and a BBVA Compass Bowl Championship.
Jones came to SMU after nine years at Hawaii, where he took a despairing Warrior football program and built it into one of the most exciting and competitive squads in the country. Jones led his Hawaii teams to 76 wins – the most by any Hawaii coach – two Western Athletic Conference Championships and six bowl-game appearances. He catapulted the Warrior program into the national rankings in his nine seasons, with Hawaii ranking in the top 40 in seven of his nine years, including a top-10 ranking in 2007. The 2007 season proved to be the pinnacle of success for Jones at Hawaii, as he led his team to the national spotlight with a top-10 national ranking, a BCS Bowl berth and the school’s first Heisman Trophy finalist. Hawaii finished the 2007 regular-season undefeated at 12-0 and was the only team in the Football Bowl Subdivision to earn that distinction. Along the way, the team shattered dozens of NCAA, conference and school records as Jones became just the third coach to lead a team to a BCS Bowl from a conference without an automatic BCS berth.
In 1998, Hawaii suffered its first-ever winless season. The following year, the first under Jones, the Warriors went 9-4, marking the biggest turnaround in NCAA history. He developed six All-Americans and produced 17 NFL draft picks, with a school-record five in 2007.
Jones is the mastermind of one of the nation’s most prolific offenses and was one of just 14 head coaches in the nation to also serve as offensive coordinator in 2007. Jones’ run-and-shoot attack led the Western Athletic Conference and ranked in the top five nationally in each of his nine seasons at Hawaii. In 2006, the Warriors averaged 46.9 points and 559.2 yards of total offense per game, with 441.29 yards generated through the air, leading the nation in all three categories. Hawaii was potent in 2007 as well, leading the nation in scoring at 46.2 points per game. Under Jones, the Warriors broke more than 400 school records and 50 NCAA records.
Jones-tutored quarterbacks have secured their place among the all-time greats in collegiate football, with Timmy Chang and Colt Brennan holding several NCAA records. In 2004, Chang made NCAA history by becoming the all-time passing leader with 17,072 yards, and in 2007, Colt Brennan, who finished third in the Heisman Trophy race, broke 29 NCAA records, including passing touchdowns in a season (58) and career (131). http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jones_june00.html
Greek historian Polybius said, “A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible.”
2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”