Legendary Hawaii football coach June Jones dies at 73 after transforming Rainbow Warriors program

HONOLULU — June Jones, who turned the University of Hawaii into a national power with his high-powered run-and-shoot offense and led the Rainbow Warriors to an undefeated regular season and a historic Sugar Bowl appearance, died Thursday. He was 73.

The university announced that Jones died Thursday morning in Oregon. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Jones, who coached Hawaii from 1999 to 2007, leaves one of the most remarkable legacies in the history of college football in the islands. He inherited a program coming off a winless season and turned it into a nationally recognized contender, going 76-41 over nine seasons to become the winningest coach in school history.

His greatest achievement came in 2007, when Hawaii went 12-0 in the regular season behind quarterback Colt Brennan, won the Western Athletic Conference championship and earned the program's first Bowl Championship Series berth, a Sugar Bowl matchup with Georgia.

Although Hawaii lost 41-10 on Jan. 1, 2008, that season remains one of the most celebrated accomplishments in the university's athletic history.

Jones' impact extended far beyond wins and losses. His offense made Aloha Stadium one of college football's most exciting venues and produced some of the most prolific quarterbacks in NCAA history, including Brennan and Timmy Chang.

Chang, who became the NCAA's career passing leader playing for Jones and returned to Hawaii as head coach in 2022, remembered his former coach as a mentor who changed his life.

"Words can't express the sorrow I feel today," Chang said in a statement released by the university. "Coach Jones was a father figure, a mentor, and a visionary who revolutionized the game."

Jones changed the direction of Hawaii football as soon as he arrived in 1999. The Rainbow Warriors had gone 0-12 the previous season, but Jones guided them to a 9-4 record, a share of the WAC championship and a victory in the Oahu Bowl. It was the greatest single-season turnaround in NCAA history at the time.

Jones made Hawaii one of the nation's most entertaining offensive programs, leading the Rainbow Warriors to six bowl games, two conference championships and three seasons of at least 10 wins.

His success helped launch the professional careers of many of his players and gave Hawaii football a national profile it had rarely enjoyed before his arrival.

Jones' connection to Hawaii began decades earlier, when he transferred from Oregon to play quarterback for the Rainbow Warriors in 1973. He later played at Portland State, where he learned the run-and-shoot under coach Mouse Davis, a system that became the foundation of his coaching career.

Before returning to Hawaii as head coach, Jones spent several years in the NFL, including three seasons as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996 and a stint as interim head coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1998.

After leaving Hawaii, Jones coached at SMU from 2008 through the early part of the 2014 season. He also coached in other professional leagues.

Wherever he coached, Jones remained closely tied to Hawaii and the program he rebuilt. His influence continued through former players who went into coaching, including Chang.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Jones' influence extended throughout the state.

"June was an exceptional human being," Green said in a statement. "He was a motivator of young people and he was a winner. He won big moments for us, and that put us into the spotlight."

For generations of Hawaii fans, Jones was more than a successful coach. He restored pride in a struggling program, made the Rainbow Warriors nationally relevant and created memories that remain part of the state's sports identity.

His 2007 team, as well as Jones and Brennan individually, have been inducted into the University of Hawaii's Circle of Honor, recognizing an era that forever changed expectations for the program.

The university said information about memorial services and other ways to honor Jones will be announced in the coming days.