Ex SMU Coach June Jones Dies at 73, Leaves Lasting Legacy

DALLAS - June Jones, the innovative football coach who helped resurrect the SMU Mustangs program and ended its decades-long bowl drought, died Thursday at age 73.

Jones, who coached SMU from 2008 until September 2014, was widely recognized as one of football's most influential offensive minds, bringing his high-powered run-and-shoot system to college football and the professional ranks.

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His death was announced by Run & Shoot Certification, the coaching organization he helped establish with fellow offensive innovator Mouse Davis.

"We mourn the passing of the legendary June Jones," the organization said in a statement.

A cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.

For SMU fans, Jones will be remembered as the coach who helped restore credibility to a program still struggling with the long-term consequences of the NCAA's infamous death penalty in 1987.

When Jones arrived in Dallas before the 2008 season, the Mustangs had endured years of losing and hadn't appeared in a bowl game since 1984.

His first team finished 1-11, but the turnaround came quickly.

In 2009, Jones guided SMU to a 7-5 regular season before defeating Nevada 45-10 in the Hawaii Bowl, securing the program's first postseason victory in 25 years.

It was a defining moment for a school desperate to return to the national college football conversation.

Jones subsequently led the Mustangs to four consecutive bowl appearances from 2009 through 2012, establishing a foundation for the program's eventual resurgence.

His teams became known for aggressive passing attacks and quarterbacks capable of producing enormous numbers.

Quarterback Garrett Gilbert was among the players who flourished in Jones' offensive system, while running back Zach Line developed into one of the most productive players in school history.

Jones compiled a 36-43 record at SMU before resigning two games into the 2014 season, citing personal reasons.

His influence, however, extended well beyond Dallas.

At Hawaii, Jones inherited a winless program in 1999 and immediately engineered a nine-win turnaround. He later guided the Rainbow Warriors to an undefeated 2007 regular season and a Sugar Bowl appearance behind record-setting quarterback Colt Brennan.

Jones also served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, interim coach of the San Diego Chargers and later coached in the Canadian Football League and XFL.

His football philosophy helped reshape modern passing attacks, emphasizing receiver option routes, quick decisions and spreading defenses across the field.

But those closest to Jones remembered something beyond the victories and innovative playbooks.

"June's greatest legacy wasn't the records, championships, or the offense," Run & Shoot Certification said. "It was the people he believed in, the opportunities he gave, and the lives he forever changed."

For SMU, Jones' place in program history is secure.

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Long before the Mustangs became a nationally relevant program again, he helped convince a frustrated fan base that winning football could return to the Hilltop.

And for that, June Jones will always hold a special place in SMU football history.