2008 Woodie Awards
Jones stays at CMU after WVU discussions
Coach interviewed with Mountaineers after bowl loss
By: Daniel Monson
Issue date: 1/7/08 Section: Sports
Questions about the potential departure of football head coach Butch Jones after one season are over.
But CMU still faces the reality that with each successful season, larger-budget programs are starting to take notice.
The last two seasons have brought an entirely new atmosphere around Kelly/Shorts Stadium and the football team, but the team lost Brian Kelly last season and nearly lost Butch Jones this season.
"Quite honestly, when that job (West Virginia) opened, (Jones) was the first guy I thought of," said CMU Athletics Director Dave Heeke. "He had made a big impact on the players and administration there … I think he would have been the perfect guy for that job. I'm glad he's here, because he's a perfect guy for our job right now. But I picked up on a lot of similarities between the two places."
Jones said he was first contacted by West Virginia a few days before he was interviewed on Dec. 18 in Mount Pleasant. He then flew to Morgantown, W. Va., on Dec. 27, the day after CMU's 51-48 Motor City Bowl loss to Purdue.
"I wasn't looking to leave - they came to me," Jones said. "I was honored to be a part of that search, but the timing wasn't right, and I'm very excited to build on the program that we're building here."
Jones' familiarity with Morgantown and the WVU football program paid dividends as it appeared he had become the leading candidate to replace Rich Rodriguez as head coach.
Jones said his talks with WVU officials became more serious after the Motor City Bowl, but that he was not offered the job.
"It was very open and upfront and very honest all the way through the process," Heeke said. "I commend Butch for the way he handled it - I thought he handled it in the absolute best way he possibly could. He kept me very well informed, and we knew what was going on."
After the Mountaineers beat Oklahoma 48-28 in Wednesday's Fiesta Bowl in Arizona, interim coach Bill Stewart was given the job.
"Everything in this profession and in life is based in timing, and money isn't everything," Jones said. "I believe God had a plan. I think a lot of times there's a lot more important things than money. You've got to do what's best for your family."
On Thursday, Jones signed a two-year extension to stay at CMU, which increased his salary from $190,000 to $265,000 per year. He also receives at least $25,000 each year for radio and television appearances.
Heeke said the reality of Central's smaller budget and the success of the program in recent years clearly draws the interest of Bowl Championship Series teams.
"That obviously means the program is headed in the right direction," he said. "You make changes for two reasons - one means you're going up, one means you're going down. If you're winning in this league, people take notice because it's very, very difficult."
But Heeke said he and the administration will do everything in its power to keep talented coaches such as Jones at Central.
"I think we have to understand who we are and what our situation is, especially financially," he said. "We try to put together packages that make it for the coach, personally, as well as for the football program for him to be successful. But we're just not in a position that we can generate the kind of resources to compete with (the BCS) teams."
Jones said he's not worried about future jobs coming his way - that he's focused on continuing his success at CMU.
CMU had a team meeting Sunday to discuss upcoming strength and conditioning commitments.
"We've asked these young men to make they made a commitment to us, and I thought we had to make a commitment, too," Jones said. "Not only is the head coach responsible for 105 players, they're also responsible for 10 position coaches and their families and all the support staff. Any time you make a career decision or a life-changing decisions, it not only affects your family, it affects a lot of other families."
sports@cm-life.com
But CMU still faces the reality that with each successful season, larger-budget programs are starting to take notice.
The last two seasons have brought an entirely new atmosphere around Kelly/Shorts Stadium and the football team, but the team lost Brian Kelly last season and nearly lost Butch Jones this season.
"Quite honestly, when that job (West Virginia) opened, (Jones) was the first guy I thought of," said CMU Athletics Director Dave Heeke. "He had made a big impact on the players and administration there … I think he would have been the perfect guy for that job. I'm glad he's here, because he's a perfect guy for our job right now. But I picked up on a lot of similarities between the two places."
Jones said he was first contacted by West Virginia a few days before he was interviewed on Dec. 18 in Mount Pleasant. He then flew to Morgantown, W. Va., on Dec. 27, the day after CMU's 51-48 Motor City Bowl loss to Purdue.
"I wasn't looking to leave - they came to me," Jones said. "I was honored to be a part of that search, but the timing wasn't right, and I'm very excited to build on the program that we're building here."
Jones' familiarity with Morgantown and the WVU football program paid dividends as it appeared he had become the leading candidate to replace Rich Rodriguez as head coach.
Jones said his talks with WVU officials became more serious after the Motor City Bowl, but that he was not offered the job.
"It was very open and upfront and very honest all the way through the process," Heeke said. "I commend Butch for the way he handled it - I thought he handled it in the absolute best way he possibly could. He kept me very well informed, and we knew what was going on."
After the Mountaineers beat Oklahoma 48-28 in Wednesday's Fiesta Bowl in Arizona, interim coach Bill Stewart was given the job.
"Everything in this profession and in life is based in timing, and money isn't everything," Jones said. "I believe God had a plan. I think a lot of times there's a lot more important things than money. You've got to do what's best for your family."
On Thursday, Jones signed a two-year extension to stay at CMU, which increased his salary from $190,000 to $265,000 per year. He also receives at least $25,000 each year for radio and television appearances.
Heeke said the reality of Central's smaller budget and the success of the program in recent years clearly draws the interest of Bowl Championship Series teams.
"That obviously means the program is headed in the right direction," he said. "You make changes for two reasons - one means you're going up, one means you're going down. If you're winning in this league, people take notice because it's very, very difficult."
But Heeke said he and the administration will do everything in its power to keep talented coaches such as Jones at Central.
"I think we have to understand who we are and what our situation is, especially financially," he said. "We try to put together packages that make it for the coach, personally, as well as for the football program for him to be successful. But we're just not in a position that we can generate the kind of resources to compete with (the BCS) teams."
Jones said he's not worried about future jobs coming his way - that he's focused on continuing his success at CMU.
CMU had a team meeting Sunday to discuss upcoming strength and conditioning commitments.
"We've asked these young men to make they made a commitment to us, and I thought we had to make a commitment, too," Jones said. "Not only is the head coach responsible for 105 players, they're also responsible for 10 position coaches and their families and all the support staff. Any time you make a career decision or a life-changing decisions, it not only affects your family, it affects a lot of other families."
sports@cm-life.com
