June Jones Cause of Death: Legendary college football coach passes away at 73
Jones spent time in both the NFL and NCAA, putting together an incredible resume over the course of his career.
The college football world is in mourning this Thursday, as it was announced that legendary coach June Jones has passed away at the age of 73 . Jones' passing was announced by his Run & Shoot Certification program: " We mourn the passing of the legendary June Jones. June’s greatest legacy wasn’t the records, championships, or the offense. It was the people he believed in, the opportunities he gave, and the lives he forever changed ."
Jones is widely known for being a pioneer of the run and shoot offense , a scheme featuring a spread-out formation with "on the fly" adjustments, plenty of receiver motion, and an overreliance on passing. Jones learned the offensive concepts from Mouse Davis during their time together on the Houston Gamblers , Denver Gold , and later the Detroit Lions .
His first major coaching job came with the Atlanta Falcons , where he was the offensive coordinator from 1991-93 and then the head coach from 1994-96 . He made the NFC Wild Card Game during the 1995 season, but then made the move to college football in 1999 .
June Jones is best known from his time with Hawaii and SMU
As the head coach of the University of Hawaii football team, Jones oversaw a ton of successful players who came through his program. In nine seasons, he won four bowl games , and went 23-4 over his last two seasons .
He then left Hawaii for SMU in 2008, where he was tasked with turning around a program in shambles. After a 1-11 debut season, Jones led the Mustangs to three bowl game victories in four seasons before a rough final two seasons.
His legacy within the game of football was impressive. Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders posted on social media after hearing the news: " June Jones, One of the greatest offensive minds and an overall great person. " Jones coached Deion's son, Deion Sanders Jr., during his time at SMU.
As of right now, no official cause of death has been revealed .
