Six days after concluding its finest football season in history, the University of Hawai'i's football program was thrown into chaos with the departure of coach June Jones.

Jones, who in nine years at Hawai'i transformed college football's doormat to a big bowl contender, agreed today to a 5-year deal worth about $2 million per year to coach at SMU.

Everyone from football fans to the governor greeted the news with shock and sadness. Many are also angry and blame the departure on athletics director Herman Frazier, who apparently waited until the last days to get into serious contract negotiations with Jones.

Frazier's resignation was expected to be announced at a press conference tomorrow. Frazier was not available for comment.

"Was the ball dropped? Definitely. Is director Frazier to blame? I believe so," said Rep. K. Mark Takai, who led a legislative briefing in May regarding problems with the athletics program. "I don't think that the athletics program can function now with Frazier at the helm. Changes are
going to have to be made."

University of Hawai'i President David McClain acknowledged the school could have been more aggressive and timely.

"I also want to apologize to our fans and all of Hawai'i for matters getting to this stage in the first place," he said. "Exceptional performance deserves exceptional recognition and your university was slow to step up. That won't happen again."

McClain wouldn't elaborate on tomorrow's announcement, other than to say it would address Frazier's future.

McClain and Gov. Linda Lingle made last-minute pitches to keep Jones in Hawai'i, where he compiled a 76-41 record, including 4-2 in bowl games. Jones led the Warriors to an unbeaten regular season and a berth in the Sugar Bowl, where Hawai'i was defeated by Georgia 41-10 on Jan. 1.

The game was supposed to be a major step for the program and a catalyst for change, especially in the poor facilities at Hawai'i, which was one of the reasons Jones left. Jones also will be getting a major salary increase, more than doubling his $800,000 annual base salary at Hawai'i.

Now, Jones is packing up for Texas, along with his passing play book and most of his assistants.

"We gave it our best shot," McClain said. He said a search for a new coach would commence immediately.

Don Murphy, a close friend of Jones and past president of the Na Koa football booster club, spoke to the coach hours before the announcement. "It tore him apart," Murphy said. "That's what we have to look at. Why would somebody leave when he loves it here so much? He struggled with this thing
for a long time. You can't blame him."

Murphy said the coach was excited about the new challenge about taking over a team that finished 1-11. Hawai'i had lost 18 straight when Jones took over in 1999.

"He said it's very similar to Hawai'i when he got here, but the facilities are better in Texas," Murphy said. "If he needs to get knee braces for his offensive line, it won't take six months and he won't have to go through the
procurement process."

Jones had repeatedly expressed his frustrations over the facilities at Hawai'i. He also complained, in a recent letter to friends, about the last-minute push by the school, spurred by the interest by Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Murphy said Jones' departure is a great loss for the school and the community. "He's put us on the map, football-wise. Nine years ago, people were laughing at us. We were 0-12 and a joke," he said. "Now, we're BCS."

In May, state legislator Takai questioned Frazier, shortly after quarterback Colt Brennan complained to reporters about substandard athletic facilities, in addition to the lack of resources.

Takai asked Frazier about the coach's contract. Frazier responded that he was working on a proposal and committed to rehiring Jones.

"I'm terribly disappointed," Takai said today. "All of this could have been avoided."

Frazier had also been under fire for not being able to complete the 2007 football schedule and the handling of men's basketball coach Riley Wallace's departure after 20 years with the team. Frazier recently was criticized for
not accepting the full allotment of tickets to the Sugar Bowl, creating a major ticket shortage.

"My focus as your president is to keep the drama on the athletic field and in the stadium, where it belongs, and not at the ticket window, or in contract negotiations," McClain said.