Jones' 'heart is here'

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones yesterday said he hopes to reach an agreement on a contract extension in the next few weeks.

Jones is entering the final year of a five-year contract he signed with UH in January 1999, a month after he rejected an offer to remain as head coach of the San Diego Chargers.

"I want to be here," Jones said. "I hope it works out. My heart is here. This is where I want to be. Hopefully, in the next three weeks or so, we'll get those things answered."

Last February, Jones broke off negotiations with UH when the two sides could not agree on terms. Jones was seeking an increase in his annual salary of $320,000, of which $170,000 is guaranteed, and input into ways to increase revenue for the athletic department.

Jones declined to specify his contract requests, although it was reported last year that he was seeking an annual package of about $600,000, placing him in the low second-tier range for Division I-A coaches.

"I'm not really interested in getting into it," Jones said.

He also is believed to be seeking pay raises for his nine assistant coaches. Last month, Jones said his assistants had not received a raise in the last four years.

Jones said he would like a contract extension settled before the national signing date for football recruits in early February. UH has scheduled recruiting visits for three weekends in January.

"I'm hoping that we'll be able to get all of those things done so we can move on and not have them continually come up in recruiting," Jones said.

Jones said recruits have not asked about his contract situation. But, he said, "I know other schools have used it against us."

Jones said he would not be surprised if he lost one or two assistant coaches to more lucrative positions on the Mainland. In four seasons as UH's head coach, Jones has lost two assistants to other jobs. Three years ago, Greg McMackin left to become Texas Tech's defensive coordinator, a position that paid more than what Jones earned at UH. In 2001, special teams coach Dennis Mc-Knight resigned to spend more time with his family and car-cleaning business in San Diego.

"We've been lucky," Jones said. "A couple of (assistant coaches) had opportunities last year to go, but they elected to stay."