Why Does Hawaii Play Bama?

[DKW 86 7,424]

http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu/Fball/jones.html

Said, we make more money playing bama than in a bowl game.

In three seasons at the helm of the Hawai'i program, June Jones has produced two nine-win seasons, four All-Americans, 42 all-conference performers, and five NFL draft picks.

According to June Jones, the formula is simple. It all boils down to recruiting.

"Good players make good coaches," Jones said. "We have been able to recruit successfully since I've been here and that plays a big part of our success."

Jones and his staff have also had success in recruiting the local talent, a missing element in years past.

"Winning does that," Jones said. "I think we have eight or nine guys with professional contracts and that makes a statement to the local kids. We've also had players go early in the NFL Draft. In addition, we're graduating our kids and the overall grade point averages are up. It's also a very positive thing to be able to stay at home and play in front of your families."

Jones, who took the reins of a dwindling football program in December 1998, took one season to turn it all around. In 1999, Jones and the Warriors enjoyed a 9-4 season, the biggest turnaround in NCAA history.

In that same season, the Warriors won a share of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship and were invited to the Jeep Oahu Bowl where they defeated Oregon State, 23-17. It was the program's first bowl game since 1992. For his accomplishments, Jones was named WAC Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year by three different publications.

According to Jones, the formula for success is camaraderie.

"I try to get the kids to play together," Jones said. "That's the most important thing. Teaching them to put the other guy first and creating that type of attitude, that's the difference in winning, to be quite honest."

The 2000 season was a difficult one. The Warriors struggled through a season plagued with injuries to finish 3-9.

On Feb 22, 2001, Jones was involved in a car accident that nearly claimed his life. Jones missed the entire spring session due to the accident. However, Jones' tireless effort to recover allowed him to return to the gridiron just in time for fall camp.

"I really can't explain why I'm still here," Jones said. "I guess it just wasn't my time. I really had to focus to get back to this point. I had to change my whole way of thinking."

The recovery process for Jones may be a lot easier today, but it is surely not over.

"I still have some pain in certain areas," Jones said. "I still can't do a lot of things I used to be able to. My golf swing is different, I can't hit the ball like I used to, but I can still play so I'm grateful for that."

The 2001 season proved Jones was back in action full-time. The Warriors struggled out of the gates, going 1-2 in the first three games, but bounced back to win eight of the next nine. For Jones, it was a season to remember.

"We battled it out last year," Jones said. "There was adversity having lost two games early that we probably should have won, but the guys kept working hard and they really laid it all out on the line for one another."

The on-field success is important to Jones, who says, "If you do all the things you're supposed to, then winning takes care of itself." But what the 49-year-old coaching veteran cherishes most is his players.

"The most important thing to me is to have positive relationships with my players," Jones said. "Winning is great and we're going to win as many games as we can, but I try to have my kids leave the program with the fundamentals that it will take to be successful in life and in football. That's important to me."

Jones has already established those player-coach relationships in three short years at Hawai'i.

According to former quarterback Nick Rolovich, Jones has had a significant impact on his life.

"I learned how to be a quarterback in junior college, but Coach Jones took it to the next level," Rolovich said. "I was with him for two years and he taught me how to be successful and believe in myself. The most interesting thing is that he teaches without getting angry. He understands the offense takes time to learn. He makes you feel comfortable and unafraid of making mistakes. He uses the same formula as people do in everyday life."

First-round NFL draft pick and former receiver Ashley Lelie said Jones taught him about football and life.

"Coach Jones boosted my game up 100 percent," Lelie said. "I barely knew the game coming out of high school. He's a good guy who will always tell you where you stand. He's very detail oriented and he knows the offense inside and out."

Former quarterback Dan Robinson, who played for Jones in 1999, said Jones made a believer out of him.

"I will always be thankful that I had the opportunity to play for Coach Jones," Robinson said after the 1999 season. "He taught me a lot on the field, but he taught me much more off the field. He taught us all how to believe in ourselves."

Under Jones' tutelage, the Warriors have broken 140 school records and three NCAA records. In 2001, receiver Chad Owens led the nation in kickoff return average (33.6) and quarterback Timmy Chang led the nation in total offense (349.7) before bowing out to a wrist injury.

In addition, in the last three years, Jones' run-and-shoot offense has led the WAC and been ranked in the top five nationally each season.

For Jones, the success doesn't end on the football field. A total of 30 players have graduated since his arrival in December 1998 and the grade point average of the team has increased from 2.46 when he arrived to 2.50 in May 2002.

"Academics is why we are all here in the first place," Jones said. "We monitor these guys in study hall and make sure they're doing what they need to be doing to stay on course and graduate."

[WarTim 3,456]

Why do the Rainbows play uat?

Hmm....I'll take a guess.....They are looking for an easy "W"?

[TigerOne 1,142]

That June Jones is a liar and spin master. He is just a puppet running for some office. He could care less about academics. Oh wait that's only in the SEC

"Academics is why we are all here in the first place," Jones said. "We monitor these guys in study hall and make sure they're doing what they need to be doing to stay on course and graduate."

I'm being sarcastic, but we could just change the names in many of these hack

articles about

[WinCrimson 61]

$$$ would have to be the answer.

I don't like it though. They're not a ULM or Arky State type squad. They're athletic and the run n' shoot offense can make defenses dizzy. Plus, you don't get a lot of credit for beating a good team (ex: Southern Miss, Marshall, etc)

We'll win but it won't be a rout. I say 31-20 for the good guys.

[saniflush 0]

I say 31-20 for the good guys.

251859[/snapback]

That is what I like to see! UAT fans predicting a loss for the Crimson Nation!

Go Warriors!

[WinCrimson 61]

I say 31-20 for the good guys.

251859[/snapback]

That is what I like to see! UAT fans predicting a loss for the Crimson Nation!

Go Warriors!

251867[/snapback]

LOL good one

[quietfan 233]

So Hawaii wants to play in Tuscaloosa to make money?? No surprise there...isn't that also the reason a lot of Tide players wanted to play in Tuscaloosa?