Oregon State interested in hiring UH's Jones

Advertiser Staff

University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones, through his agent, has been contacted about the vacant head coaching job at Oregon State, the Oregonian newspaper will report in today's editions.

Jones is vacationing in Western Oregon and could not be reached for comment last night.

But he told two Advertiser reporters Tuesday that he was working toward a contract extension at UH and was not interested in another college coaching job.

He reaffirmed his commitment to UH in the Oregonian story, but added, "You never say never."

Tuesday, Dennis Erickson was named the San Francisco 49ers' head coach, launching Oregon State's search for a successor.

Erickson earned a salary package of $1 million a year at Oregon State. The package included money from shoe and apparel deals, television and radio shows, and football camps.

Jones is in the final year of a five-year contract he signed in January 1999. His annual package is $320,000, with $220,000 in base pay, $60,000 in radio and television deals, and a $40,000 housing allowance.

UH athletic director Herman Frazier told The Advertiser Tuesday: "We have been having on-going discussions (on a contract extension), and they look very, very positive."

While a deal is not imminent, Frazier said, "We're moving along, just I like I thought we would, and we feel good about where we are."