Hawaii coaching legend June Jones makes decision on offer to return

June Jones has turned down an offer to return as the head coach of Hawaii football, per Action Network’s Brett McMurphy. The news comes after it was reported early Friday that the Rainbow Warriors were closing in on Jones as the replacement for Todd Graham, who resigned.

Jones, 68, coached at Hawaii from 1999-2007 before leaving for SMU.

As Hawaii head coach, Jones went 76-41 to become the winningest coach in program history. In his last two years, he led the Rainbow Warriors to a 23-4 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance in 2007.

After leaving Hawaii, Jones amassed a 36-43 record at SMU before stepping down due to “personal issues” in 2014. He coached at a Hawaii high school in 2016 before heading to the CFL and XFL until 2020.

Hawaii saw a rash of transfers this offseason in the wake of accusations against Graham and the program’s culture. He resigned on Saturday after two seasons and an 11-11 record with the program.

“Todd informed me of his decision to resign,” Hawaii Athletics Director David Matlin said in a statement. “We enjoyed many successes under his leadership even as he faced pandemic conditions, the withdrawal of Aloha Stadium, and the prohibition of any fans for nearly all his time with us. Todd’s tireless efforts as a coach have made a positive impact on many student-athletes. We have talked at length, and it is clear he has taken this action so that the football program can thrive moving forward.”

The decision comes off the back of some controversy surrounding Graham. The Hawaii Senate’s Ways and Means and Higher Education Committee called a meeting a week ago regarding the culture the head coach had built in the program. Several players came forward, speaking against Graham and his actions.

Hawaii finished this past season with a 6-7 record under Graham. The Rainbow Warriors were supposed to face Memphis in the Hawaii Bowl, but were forced to back out because of COVID-19 issues.

With June Jones now officially out of the running, Hawaii will continue its search for a new football coach. The Rainbow Warriors open the 2022 season on Aug. 27 against Vanderbilt.

On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.