Former Boise State coordinator, interim coach Tom Mason takes over at SMU

Tom Mason, who served as the Boise State football team's interim head coach in 1996, will serve in the same capacity the rest of the 2014 season for the SMU Mustangs.

On Monday, Mustangs head coach June Jones announced his resignation, effective immediately. Mason is in his seventh season at SMU, all as the team's defensive coordinator. He was Boise State's defensive coordinator from 1993-96, taking over as interim head coach as Pokey Allen battled cancer. The Broncos went 2-10 that season, their first as a Division I-A member, now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision. Mason played linebacker collegiately at Idaho, Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College and Nevada.

In a statement, Jones said "This afternoon, I talked to my staff and players and notified them that I have decided to resign as SMU head football coach effective immediately. It was a very difficult decision for me to make, as you can imagine. I have devoted my life for the last 50 years to playing and coaching this game and it has been a great journey. This job has a lot of demands, as you know, and along with that journey comes a price that is paid. I have some personal issues I have been dealing with and I need to take a step away so I can address them at this time.

"We have some talented and really good kids, who just happen to be young. Tom Mason will take over the head coaching duties. Tom has done a great job with the defense since coming to SMU. This being a bye week will give all the coaches and players a chance to evaluate themselves and make the changes needed for their preparation in getting ready for the next couple games and conference play the rest of the way. I would like to thank all the people here at SMU that have supported the vision we have had here. I feel we have made SMU relevant again in football by going to four bowls in my six years as a Mustang. I am very thankful for the opportunity I was given and wish only the best for the players, coaches and administration at SMU."

SMU is 0-2 this season, losing by a combined 88-6 to Baylor and North Texas. Jones, the former Hawaii coach, went 36-43 with four bowl appearances for SMU from 2008-14.

This story was originally published September 8, 2014 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Former Boise State coordinator, interim coach Tom Mason takes over at SMU."