DEVELOPING: June Jones Resigns From SMU

((HT: NBCDFW))

June Jones was in his seventh season with the SMU Mustangs, with a record of 36-43.

He brought the team from it's way-beyond-awful past- which could be chronicled here more than anything...
((HT: ESPN))


To the point where they were in bowl games and exciting out of Conference USA (of all places)...

BUT... and this is a big BUT... where messages may get lost over time or the engine blows its transmission and can't recover...

This may have been the time...

SMU opened this season with a 45-0 loss at Baylor, and then dropped a 43-6 game at North Texas on Saturday when the Mustangs' only touchdown came on the last play of the game.
((HT: d210tv))


After that loss, Jones submitted his resignation:

"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,” said Jones. “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.

“We have some talented and really good kids, who just happen to be young. Tom Mason will take over the head coaching duties. Tom has done a great job with the defense since coming to SMU. This being a bye week will give all the coaches and players a chance to evaluate themselves and make the changes needed for their preparation in getting ready for the next couple games and conference play the rest of the way. I would like to thank all the people here at SMU that have supported the vision we have had here. 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."

AD Rick Hart released a statement of is own:

“June’s decision to resign was his own, and we thank him for his efforts and wish him the best," Hart said. “As we embark upon the process of identifying our next head football coach, we are positioned to attract quality candidates due to the progress our program has made under June’s leadership. When we hoist championship trophies in the future, it will be possible because of the groundwork laid by Coach Jones, his staff and our student-athletes.”

Bruce Feldman, over at Fox Sports, has a list of possible successors after this season including: Houston Nutt, Larry Coker, Butch Davis, Rick Neuheisel, Mark Hudspeth, Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman, and Clemson OC Chad Morris, a former Texas high school coach.

The second level from Feldman: Texas A&M OC Jake Spavital; ECU OC Lincoln Riley, Baylor offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery, and ASU OC Mike Norvell.