After expressing interest in the University of Hawaiʻi football coaching vacancy earlier in the week, former UH coach June Jones has turned down the university’s offer. Jones, the winningest coach in program history, took to Twitter and said that he is still interested in the job but cited the short two-year contract offer and lack of control on who would be on his staff as factors for declining the position.
So I would like to comment and give my thoughts on the Football Head Coaching job..I am still interested in this job for the people of Hawaii but the job offered to me today there is no way I could accept with the conditions offered me …No coach in their right mind would accept!
— June Jones (@CoachJuneJones) January 22, 2022
Dictating who can be on my staff and only 2 year contract..What recruit would come if I was here for 2 years???..this has never been about money-but it is about giving me the ability to turn our program around and not have people tell me who is on my staff or how to coach my team
— June Jones (@CoachJuneJones) January 22, 2022
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the university wanted former UH quarterback and current Colorado State wide receivers coach Timmy Chang on Jones’s staff as his successor, but Jones’s agent Leigh Steinberg said Jones wants full control of staff hiring.
Sources told ESPN that the school wanted Timmy Chang as the eventual successor. Jones has no issues with Chang, the former star quarterback. But Steinberg told ESPN that Jones wants full control over the staff. Jones still wants on the job but only with control over staff hiring. https://t.co/FUgH2to7ll
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 22, 2022
The program’s Twitter account released a statement from athletic director David Matlin, who said that the two parties could not come to a succession plan, and that they would move forward in their search.
— Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) January 22, 2022