Tag Archives: SMU

CFL, NFL, usfl

Jones, June

Card: Topps 1978
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o SMU
Sent:  1/13  Recieved: 2/1  (26 days)

A member of the Mouse Davis coaching tree, June Jones is considered a quarterback guru and offensive innovator and his teams typically employ a spread offense or Run ‘N Shoot variant. After playing in 3 different offensive systems and 3 different colleges, June would be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons out of Portland State where he played from 1977 to 1981. He’d then briefly play in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts. Jones quickly moved into coaching, working under Jack Pardee and Mouse Davis as the wide receivers coach for the USFL Houston Gamblers, and then into the CFL coaching with the Ottawa Rough Riders. In 1987, June was hired by Jerry Glanville to coach Warren Moon as the quarterbacks coach in Houston and then with Detroit under offensive coordinator Mouse Davis. After this stint he would follow Glanville to Atlanta where he’d install the Run ‘N Shoot offense. Later he’d replace Glanville as head coach of the Falcons. June guided the team to the playoffs before a meltdown with quarterback Jeff  George that was infamously caught on tape. The rift caused both of them to get released. Jones then worked for Kevin Gilbride briefly on the Chargers staff, before returing to the college ranks as head coach for the University of Hawaii. He turned a winless team around to a 9-4 bowl bound team in what is considered to be the fastest turn around in NCAA football history. By 2006 he was the winningest coach in Hawaii history and finished his career there in 2007 at 76-41. In 2008 Jones decided to leave Hawaii to coach perennial doormat SMU turning that franchise around in two seasons and leading them to their first bowl game in many years. Posted below are his college coaching statistics.

Wins 85   Losses 57  Ties 0

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Dickerson, Eric

Cards: Pro Set 1989, Pro Set 1991
Acquired: In Person, Cowboys Training Camp 1992
See Also: Eric Dickerson (2)

Back in the days of the Los Angeles Raiders, I would actually get excited when I heard they signed somebody like Eric, because I knew that player would be at the Cowboys training camp later that year.  I don’t think I missed a day at Cowboys training camp that summer, and I never wanted to miss an opportunity to double my chances when the Raiders came to town. Eric was much maligned in the media by now because of frequent contract disputes with the Colts over the last year or two but he was more than generous signing 2 cards for me during camp that year.

Dickerson would play 11 seasons in the NFL for the Rams, Colts, Raiders and Falcons.  A spectacular runner at SMU where he formed the “Pony Express” with Craig James, Dickerson was drafted by the LA Rams in 1983 and went on to set rookie records across the board, and finished as the ROY that year. In his second year, Dickerson established the record for most rushing yards in a season with 2,105.

In ’87 he was traded to the Colts where he continued his streak of 1,000 yard seasons playing until he signed with the Raiders in ’92, and finished with a brief stint in ’93 with the Falcons. Eric’s career totals included: 6 pro bowl selections, 5 first team all pros, named 1980s all decade team, 1986 offensive player of the year, having his number retired by the Rams, and elected to the HOF in 1999.  Post football Dickerson has been both a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football and also on KCBS in LA.

GM 146          ATT 2,996           YDS 13,259         AVG 4.4        TD 90