June Jones is a former American football player and coach who had a successful career in both college and professional football. He played quarterback at the University of Hawaii and was later drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 1977 NFL Draft.
After a brief stint in the NFL, Jones began his coaching career as an assistant at Hawaii before moving on to other college programs such as UCLA, the University of Pacific, and the University of California. In 1987, he was hired as the head coach of the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where he led the team to a Grey Cup appearance in his first season.
Jones returned to the United States in 1989 to become the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Detroit Lions. He then served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996, leading the team to a playoff appearance in his first season.
In 1997, Jones was hired as the head coach of the University of Hawaii football team, where he had previously played. He quickly turned the program around, leading the team to a 9-4 record and a bowl game in his first season. Over the next nine seasons, Jones continued to build the program into a consistent winner, leading the team to nine bowl games and a Western Athletic Conference championship in 1999.
Jones left Hawaii in 2007 to become the head coach of the Southern Methodist University football team. He inherited a program that had been hit hard by NCAA sanctions and struggled in his first few seasons. However, he was able to turn the program around, leading the team to four straight bowl games from 2009 to 2012.
After leaving SMU in 2014, Jones returned to the CFL as the head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos. He led the team to a Grey Cup championship in his first season, but was fired after a disappointing 2015 season.
Jones is known for his innovative offensive schemes and his ability to develop quarterbacks. He has coached several successful quarterbacks over the years, including David Klingler, Andre Ware, and Colt Brennan. He is also credited with popularizing the run and shoot offense, which he used to great success at Hawaii and other programs.
Overall, June Jones had a successful career as both a player and coach in football. He is widely respected for his offensive expertise and his ability to turn struggling programs into winners.
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