NCAA Football FanHouse

Hawaii's Facilities Are a Joke

Brian Grummell — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:17:00 EST

Filed under: WAC, Boise State Football, Hawaii Football, SMU Football

And it only took 20 years to admit the problem! With an assist from a soapless Heisman Trophy finalist and the best coach in school history leaving them for SMU.

Check out this video documenting the school's decrepit athletic facilities ("In the locker room there are missing ceiling tiles, broken soap dispensers and inoperable fire alarms. In the weight room you'll find damaged Olympic weights, cracked upholstery on machines and broken equipment.")

The funny part is that even though the Warriors won the WAC this year, they've still got Boise State on the brain. Whatever, at least they're finally allocating some money to address the situation. I'm guessing that's the only reason cameras were allowed to show the mess in the first place, now that Hawaii can stand up and say "change is coming".

(H/T: The Wizard of Odds)

Hawaii's Facilities Are a Joke originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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June Jones Leaves Paradise

Charles Rich — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:42:00 EST

Filed under: Conference USA, NCAA FB Coaching, Hawaii Football, SMU Football

Sure the facilities are apparently a disaster. He has no recruiting budget. Teams will not play Hawaii in the non-conference schedule. He doesn't have a contract for next year. It's still being head coach at Hawaii. Wearing Hawaiian shirts and leis on the sidelines, and living in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. June Jones has apparently decided to take the money and challenge.

June Jones has resigned as University of Hawai'i head football coach, according to his close friend, Al Souza.

Jones resigned this morning, citing among other things a lack of loyalty and commitment from athletic department leaders.

Jones is heading to meet with Southern Methodist University officials and boosters today and is expected to be offered the head coaching job and a contract worth between $1.7 and $2 million per year.

SMU had been the first school to fire its head coach -- in mid-season -- but was the last to make a hire. They rebuffed multiple attempts by former Auburn Coach Terry Bowden who was interested because they thought they could do better. Apparently they have.

As for the letter Jones sent to the University of Hawaii and others to explain his resignation.
The contents are starting to leak to the media.

Here is part of what it says:

"It is been very hard the last few days thinking about the decision to leave a place that I love greatly -- but you and I have talked many times about things that have concerned me -- None of those things that concerned me were addressed in this offer...

I guess all I can say is that the way my contract talks have been handled, is kind of the reason I am tired and why I just need to go. He says it is a generous offer. But, it would have meant a lot to me, had this offer come after the bowl game last year or even before the season -- or had it come to me as late as the Washington game it would have said to me 'thanks June for a job well done'

There would have been no negotiating -- I probably would have signed it and never let it get to this point.

Hawaii will always have my heart and that is why this is so hard for me -- but just the fact I am going to get on that plane to Dallas says it all.

I do not want to go -- believe me -- but it is time to go. Mahalo, June."

Hawaii Athletic Director Herman Frazier forced out the longtime basketball coach, Riley Wallace, last season. He drew out the search for his replacement, before finally hiring long time Hawaii assistant and former player Bob Nash. Frazier may be the next to go after this.

June Jones Leaves Paradise originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: SMU to Pursue June Jones

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:34:00 EST

Filed under: Conference USA, WAC, BCS, NCAA FB Coaching, Hawaii Football, SMU Football

Joe Schad of ESPN has the scoop on SMU's coaching search. Last week, he mentioned - almost in passing - on College Football Live that SMU was going to take a shot at a football coach whose team had yet to play in a bowl game. He did not name a specific coach, school, or whether it was a "BCS conference" coach.

Now, we have a name. It's June Jones of Hawaii.

SMU will pursue Hawaii coach June Jones and is prepared to pay between $1.5 and $1.7 million per year, according to two people familiar with SMU's strategy.

Although Jones' contract expires after this year, Hawaii has yet to make a contract offer to the coach, who just completed his ninth season with Hawaii.

Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said after the Sugar Bowl that he will not negotiate through the media and that he will not comment specifically on SMU's interest in his coach.

Keep a couple things in mind before you start laughing. For starters, Hawaii's facilities are dreadful, and the athletic budget is equally comical. SMU's administration seems willing to throw some money at the football program, and while money won't solve all their problems, this looks like a really good idea. With Jones' contract up at Hawaii, now might be the time to take a shot at him if you're someone like SMU.

Jones brings instant credibility as a rebuilder (Hawaii was 0-12 the year before he took over that program), and he will find a way to make an impact with the players former coach Phil Bennett recruited. Given how rich the talent pool is in the Metroplex, it's hard to imagine that Jones wouldn't have success in Conference USA.

Report: SMU to Pursue June Jones originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Kragthorpe Debacle May Be Mercifully Brief for Louisville

Brian Cook — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:59:00 EST

Filed under: Louisville Football, Big East, NCAA FB Coaching, SMU Football

Anyone who's watched Louisville go from up-and-coming power to insta-has-been this year has idly wondered if Steve Kragthorpe would get the ziggy faster than anyone since Mike Price, but rumors of an escape hatch as SMU seemed too odd to be true.

In the past few hours this story has metastasized from fanciful rumor to real possibility; Card Chronicle with the straight dope:

ESPN's Pat Forde wrote in his "Forde Yard Dash" column today that a source had informed him that it was "50/50" whether embattled first-year Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe would leave if he were offered the job at SMU.

Now WHAS-11's Kyle Draper and 790 a.m.'s Adam Neft are reporting that U of L football sports information director Rocco Gasparro has confirmed the 50/50 rumor. Both are also reporting that Tom Jurich is backing his head coach and wants him to stay.

Kragthorpe, of course, was a moderately successful coach at Tulsa tabbed to replace Bobby Petrino when Petrino left for Arthur Blank's six trillion million billion dollars.

At Louisville he's been a spectacular failure unable to get anyone to tackle anything; Cardinals fans are ecstatic of the possibility of hiring someone, anyone else. Almost literally:

I think they should suit up the ol' cowboy
John L.

and make Jeff full O coordinator and asst head coach

John L Smith? John L Smith? Oh, please God, please make this happen.

Steve Kragthorpe Debacle May Be Mercifully Brief for Louisville originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mr. 2000: Tulane Tailback Matt Forte

Brian Grummell — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Conference USA, UCF Football, The Word, Rice Football, SMU Football, Tulane Football

Here's a nice moment from the weekend: Tulane tailback Matt Forte has crossed the 2,000 yard threshold this season. Forte entered Saturday with 1813 rushing yards and added another 195 today against Rice for good measure. That leaves Forte with 2,008 yards. For good measure, five touchdowns were among those 39 carries.

Forte was lightly recruited out of high school, with Tulane his only I-A offer. He's made a lot of people look foolish in notching 4,146 yards and counting over his career.

Forte may not be the only back to notch 2,000 yards this year, as UCF's Kevin Smith has 1947 yards after an impressive 179 yard, three-touchdown performance of his own today against SMU.

It's a passing era in college football, but the days of the 2,000 yard back aren't dead yet. Update: Forte is just the 12th back in D-I history to surpass the 2,000 yard mark, and the first since 2004.

Mr. 2000: Tulane Tailback Matt Forte originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Old School: Jim McMahon and BYU Beat SMU and The Pony Express in the 1980 Holiday Bowl

Brian Grummell — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:12:00 EST

Filed under: Conference USA, Mountain West, NCAA FB Video, Brigham Young Football, SMU Football

"Old School" is the College Football FanHouse's irregular look back at the rich history of college football, usually through the medium of embeddable flash video. Check out the Old School archive for more famous plays and infamous hair.

This game is classic early 1980's college football. We had SMU's "Pony Express" team with Eric Dickerson and Craig James. We had upstart BYU with the man who would later be known as "The Punky QB": Jim McMahon.

We had a classic running team delivering an absolute first-half beatdown of BYU and its newfangled pass attack.

And we had one of the greatest comebacks in college football history.

SMU held a 35-13 first-half lead before BYU narrowed that with an early second half touchdown. However, SMU just kept on scoring, building a 45-25 lead on the strength of James' crazy legs. What happened next is the stuff of legend with diving touchdowns, mad scrambles, onside kicks, missed conversion attempts, a blocked punt with 0:13 left and a Flutie-esque Hail Mary.

This game established credibility for both BYU and the wild reputation of the Holiday Bowl. The furious finish also overshadowed a fantastic overall performance by James.

In the 1980 Holiday Bowl, James' offensive production of 225 rushing yards and 9.9 yards/carry were both Holiday Bowl records that stood for 13 and 15 years respectively.

Video below.

Old School: Jim McMahon and BYU Beat SMU and The Pony Express in the 1980 Holiday Bowl originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Exclusive: Phil Bennett Rumor Debunked

Brian Grummell — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: Oklahoma State Football, Big 12, Conference USA, NCAA FB Gossip, NCAA FB Rumors, General CFB Insanity, NCAA FB Coaching, NCAA FB Media Watch, SMU Football

Someone from the SMU athletic department, perhaps coach Phil Bennett himself, responded to a recent entry to let us know he's not a candidate for the Oklahoma State offensive coordinator job.

The internet is a crazy thing. I have gotten a couple of calls in recent days about some rumors circulating on the web. Let me set the record straight - they're not true. I am the head coach at SMU and I plan on staying here, building a winning program. I don't know how this thing got started, but I wanted to end it today.

Yessir. You can find the full text of his message at the snazzy SMU "Mustang Musings" blog. As an aside, the blog is a great idea by the SMU athletic department. They're able to get an official word out on things quickly and in a location besides the customary and drab team websites that internet newshounds sometimes skip. Call it the Pravda effect - we want confirmation from independent news outlets instead of state sponsored ones.

Bennett's intention to remain at SMU comes as no surprise, seeing as how he'd be leaving a head job for that of a coordinator at someplace that isn't a traditional power. That's a backwards move if I ever saw one, and speculated as much when I wrote about the opening at Oklahoma State.

Anyway, there's the official word straight from the horse's mouth. Looks like those pesky newspapers are on the wrong scent once again.

FanHouse Exclusive: Phil Bennett Rumor Debunked originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 14:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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