Pioneering Football Coach June Jones Dies at 73

June Jones, who led the University of Hawai'i to a 76-41 record and a 2007 Sugar Bowl berth, has died at the age of 73.

Longtime college and professional football coach June Jones, a prominent figure in popularizing the run-and-shoot offense, has died at age 73. The University of Hawai'i confirmed the death of its all-time winningest coach, who compiled a 76-41 record with the Rainbow Warriors between 1999 and 2007. Jones guided the program to two conference titles and a 12-0 start in 2007, culminating in the school's first BCS bowl appearance at the Sugar Bowl.

In the NFL, Jones served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996 and acted as the interim coach for the San Diego Chargers for 10 games in 1998. He also held head coaching positions with SMU, the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and the XFL's Houston Roughnecks. At SMU, he led the Mustangs to four consecutive bowl games and back-to-back division championships in 2009 and 2010, marking the program's first postseason success since the 1987 NCAA "death penalty."

An Oregon native, Jones played quarterback at Portland State under Mouse Davis, the innovator of the run-and-shoot scheme. His playing career included five seasons with the Falcons and one in the CFL. Before his head coaching tenures, he worked as an assistant at Hawai'i in 1983, a quarterbacks coach for the Houston Oilers in 1987, and the offensive coordinator for Atlanta. During his time at Hawai'i, he mentored Timmy Chang, who became the NCAA's all-time passing yards leader, and star quarterback Colt Brennan.