A football game between the University of Hawai'i and former coach June Jones' Southern Methodist team is apparently at least a decade off, UH said it has been told.

UH athletic director Jim Donovan said the Warriors have made scheduling inquiries but were told by SMU, "our schedule is full for the next 10 years."

New UH coach Greg McMackin and no small amount of Warriors fans have expressed an interest in a game matching Jones with his former program. Jones, who was a backup quarterback at UH (1973-74) and an assistant coach (1983), was the Warriors' head coach for nine seasons until Jan. 6, when he took the SMU job.

UH has one opening in 2009, two for the 2010 season and then several annually from 2012 on.

Brad Sutton, SMU sports information director, said he was not aware of any openings on the Mustangs' schedule for 2009 through 2012.

But if the Mustangs played at Aloha Stadium they could qualify for a 13th game in any season under the so-called Hawai'i Exemption. That rule, instituted more than 40 years ago, permits a team playing at UH an additional game as a way of encouraging travel to Hawai'i. Schools other than UH — or those playing in Hawai'i — are permitted a maximum of 12 regular season games.

Donovan said UH has "initiated conversations with four schools" that McMackin expressed an interest in about the 2009 opening. Other than SMU, he declined to name the others except to say "some are Bowl Championship Series (members)."

Under the old Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl contract there might have been a chance for UH and SMU, a member of Conference USA, to meet in the postseason. But the deal that begins this year switches the bowl from a C-USA partner to the Pac-10. In five of the six previous years of the Hawai'i Bowl's existence, a C-USA team has played a Western Athletic Conference representative.