Phil Hicks

Several people questioned the decision-making of June Jones when he left a football program at Hawaii that had just competed in its first BCS bowl, not to mention the fact he was leaving paradise.

After all, Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head were just down the road from his office in the 50th state.

Now, in Dallas Jones is some 290 miles to the nearest beach in Galveston. And about 530 miles to South Padre Island.

Of course, he did decide to come to Texas and SMU, and many Texans felt he left one paradise for another.

Anyway, fans may question his play-calling in the fall, but no one should question his decision to bring back the white helmets that SMU will wear in come football season.

The last five years, the navy helmets were not a good fit for the Ponies.

Just ask the Dallas Stars latest signee, Sean Avery, a left winger (not that it means he will be voting for Barack Obama) from the New York Rangers. Avery is serving a summer internship at Vogue magazine.

I’m sure he will agree with the Mustangs going back to the stylish white helmets with the red pony — not that it will help the Ponies win any more games, but they will look better trying.

And it does invoke memories of the Pony Express days when SMU was winning games.

The helmet will feature a red Mustang logo, trimmed in blue, with blue and red stripes, and a red facemask.

They will wear white pants with jerseys in red, white and SMU blue.

“The fans have spoken and we have listened. Since I arrived at SMU, I have stated that I wanted to return the Mustang football program to national prominence,” said SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini in a news release. “When people think of SMU, they think of white helmets with a red Mustang logo. When you have a rich tradition like we do here at SMU, it only makes sense to draw from that.”

Now, they need the horses in the uniform to capture a few more wins.

If Jones’ decisions are on par with this, SMU will be back in the bowl business soon.

NOTES – A couple of East Texans are on tap to start for SMU in the fall — Emory’s Tyler Jones, a sophomore free safety from Rains High School; Marshall’s Justin Smart, a sophomore linebacker. … There’s few more East Texans on the squad — junior defensive end Adrian Dizer of Clarksville, senior wide receiver Jessie Henderson of Paris, senior wide receiver La’Cori Johnson of Atlanta, freshman defensive back DeMikel Shankle of Longview (Spring Hill High School), and junior defensive end Mario Walker of Marshall … SMU opens its season with a rare Friday night game — Aug. 29 at Rice. It will be on ESPN. … The home opener at beautiful Gerald J. Ford Stadium is scheduled for Sept. 6 against Texas State. … An interesting matchup follows on Sept. 13 at Lubbock when the Ponies meet Texas Tech. … SMU also has announced five future football series against Baylor, TCU, North Texas, Navy and Stephen F. Austin. … SMU and Baylor will begin a six-year series with a Sept. 10, 2011, game in Dallas. Baylor will also play in Dallas in 2013 and 2015, while SMU will travel to Waco in 2012, 2014 and 2016. … The Iron Skillet series with TCU will continue through at least 2017, while SMU and North Texas will renew their I-35 rivalry with a 2014 contest in Denton. The Mean Green comes to Dallas in 2015 and 2017, while UNT hosts in 2016. … After SMU and Navy finish their current four-game, home-and-home series in 2011, the series will resume in 2015 with another four-game, home-and-home series. SMU will travel to Annapolis, Md., in 2015 and 2017, and Navy will come to Dallas in 2016 and 2018. … SFA will make the first of two trips to Dallas on Sept. 5, 2009, and will make a return trip to Big D in 2012.

Phil Hicks is the sports editor for the Tyler Paper.
()