Quotes from the local papers

About how his leaving could result in the changes needed for UH's Athletic Department, JJ said:
"The state of Hawai'i has an opportunity to make a decision to change so that the next coach is not frustrated by the kinds of things that Herman (Frazier) and I and everybody else have been paralyzed with. I'm not a person that gets up and beats on the table and I knew when I came here it was this way. I tried to do things in those early years and I was accused of all kinds of things by people who thought I had ulterior motives, but every change I made was with the school or my players in mind. Because of me leaving now, I think there's a sense of urgency to do the things that need to be done and should have been done." (HA)

HA Note: "Jones leaves for Dallas today to begin work as the new head coach of Southern Methodist University. Yesterday, he invited reporters to speak with him at the Hokuli'a luxury development in Kailua, Kona. The development's chief executive officer, John De Fries, is a close friend of Jones and was one of a small handful of people Jones consulted with the night before he made his decision to leave."

About how his leaving could be good for UH, JJ said:
"The school is in a position to take a positive step in the right direction. Change is hard, but sometimes it has to happen to go to the future." (HSB)

Feeling bad (ST called it "survivor's guilt) that HF lost his job, JJ said:
"I felt really bad about that situation because, as a football coach, Herman was right there with us, helping me as much as he could. I hate that the timing of it was triggered with my departure. In no way did I ever feel that Herman was anything but helpful. Whenever I needed anything, I went downstairs and Herman tried to get it done. He was faced with a lot of the frustrations I faced the first four years on the job until he showed up. I know he tried to do it right and tried to do it correctly." (HA)

HA Note: "Yet, Jones admitted that the lack of progress on addressing facilities and his contract — he didn't receive a formal extension offer until after SMU put its bid on the table — were long-held frustrations that played a role in his decision to seek a change. Jones said he was particularly frustrated at the start of the 2005 season, and might have left if it weren't for the addition of friend Jerry Glanville to his staff."

About how he almost quit in 2005, JJ said:
"I didn't ask for anything. Everybody knew what had to be done. We had a plan to get those things done, but it stagnated. Nobody was moving." (HA)

"I was very frustrated going into 2005. If Jerry Glanville hadn't come, I wouldn't have been part of the undefeated part of it. Jerry made it fun again for me. He relieved a lot of the things that frustrated me. He did it with smiles and laughter." (HSB)

HA Note: "Still, Jones said he likely would have re-signed had an offer been made in 2005, or even before the start of this season. Last summer, the UH Board of Regents approved an increase in salary range for Jones and other coaches, but no offer was made. Jones said the subject of his contract wasn't broached until practice had started."

About how he didn't want to talk about his contract once practice started, JJ said:
"I told them to talk to Leigh (Steinberg, his agent). I didn't want to talk about it during the season. We had talked about it two years before and it didn't happen." (HA)

HA Note: "Jones said he first spoke with SMU five days before the Sugar Bowl but deferred talking about specifics because he wanted to focus on the game."

About how he was undecided, even when he was flying to Dallas, JJ said:
"Right down to the 11th hour, I wasn't ready to go because of my attachment to friends and people here. I really thought this would be my last job." (HA)

About waking up and decided to go to SMU, JJ said:
"I had such a peace about the decision to come (to SMU). The opportunity to look at SMU ... and all of the things at their fingertips to get it changed kind of excited me. The hard part was pulling the trigger because it would affect so many lives." (HA)

About how his $2 mil salary was a factor for taking the job, JJ said:
"It is part of the reason, but it's not the only reason. I left $6 million behind with the San Diego Chargers to come (to Hawai'i), so I don't feel that I haven't sacrificed enough. I feel blessed that I've been offered this kind of contract and I don't feel guilty or bad that I'm taking it. You can never recover losing $6 million, but I saw how people were tied to the (UH) program, not just the people at the school, but the state. People in the school, I don't think were tied to the program until we went to the Sugar Bowl. I don't think they knew what I knew. I used to go to Honolulu Stadium and I saw how the cab drivers, the workers, the maids, everybody was tied to the program. And I knew if we won, it would have that appeal and it would energize the whole state." (HA)

About the thousands of Warrior fans that made it to New Orleans, JJ said:
"That was very moving to everyone who was there. That was a taste of what football can do for the school. I think people need to never forget that football can be the best ambassador for the school." (HA)

Supporting GM for the UH head coaching job, JJ said:
"I don't want to lose Greg McMackin. But just the thought that he has a possibility to be here, I want that for the school because that's the best chance to keep the continuity of the things we have built and the things we have done." (HA)

"Right now I don't want to lose Greg McMackin. (But) the thought that he has a possibility to be (head coach) here, I want that for the school. I think that is the best chance to keep the continuity of things that the school has built, to have that." (HSB)

About how he and GM talk regularly, JJ said:
"We talked, talked to him again today, and met with him. I want what's best for Hawaii. I'll survive and find another coach if he does not come that will allow us to win and do what we need to do at SMU. I have great confidence in that." (HSB)

"I told Greg I had to make some decisions. So he's going to have to make a judgment call on if he thinks he's going to get it or not." (HSB)

About people who question their preparation for the Sugar Bowl, JJ said:
"I don't know what you mean. But certainly we didn't do what we needed to do once the game started to get it done. I think defensively we played very well after the first quarter. (On offense) we just weren't ourselves." (HSB)

Not believing that they got caught up in the hype of the game, JJ said:
"No. I think they (Georgia) were a pretty good team, and we didn't execute. The O-line players I think were a little bit intimidated, initially, then they got going OK. We just weren't ourselves the first 15 minutes of the game." (HSB)

About last season, JJ said:
"It was an unbelievable season. Players and coaches all did a fantastic job. When I went to New Orleans and saw how many people there were, 15,000, 16,000 from Hawaii and another 10,000 from around the country to take pride in what we did, that was a taste of what football here can do for the school. I think people should never forget that." (HSB)

HA Note: "He said he hopes to schedule games between his former and current schools, and he also hopes SMU will one day earn a bid to the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl through the game's affiliation with Conference USA."

About how he will retire in Kona, JJ said:
"This is my home. I'm going to come back and live here the rest of my life." (HA)

About how he loves the Hokulia resort, JJ said:
"To me this has so much spirituality right here. The history and the future is right here. I think it's a special place. I'm an avid golfer, but when I come here all I want to do is sit here and be at peace. This is where I found peace when I came back to Hawaii." (HSB)

"This was my place to reflect. What I always came here to do was not think about football. It was the only place I could go where I could absolutely just think about the beauty of Hawaii and the people and get the spiritual thing." (HSB)

HSB Note: "John De Fries was there nearly four decades ago when June Jones first came to Hawaii. He is with him today, on Jones' last day in the islands for now. De Fries' family hosted Jones when he came from Portland, Ore., to play in a high school basketball tournament on Oahu in 1970. The favor was returned, as De Fries' brother, Joe, stayed with the Joneses the next holiday season.

Today, De Fries is again the host, as the CEO of the Hokulia Resort on the Kona Coast of the Big Island. Jones' last function as University of Hawaii football coach is a golf tournament for the booster club. De Fries has been one of Jones' closest friends the past few years. He was among three confidants Jones called the night of Jan. 6 from Dallas as he tried to decide between the job at Southern Methodist and remaining at UH."

About how he didn't know if JJ would take the SMU job, De Fries said:
"I didn't know what call he was going to make. It was that painful. He was somewhat tormented by the whole thing. I wanted him to make the call when he was rested. Decisions of this magnitude require the decision maker to be in a state of balance." (HSB)

About how he hasn't had time to savor the past season yet, JJ said:
"I have not had any time to enjoy the moment." (HSB)

About how he improved UH's football program, JJ said:
"I feel like it's in better condition than when I came here." (HSB)

About going to SMU, JJ said:
"I'm leaving tomorrow morning to do what I was asked to do in Dallas." (HSB)