ESPN's Mark Jones Won't Call Washington Games After Tweet on Team's Schedule

ESPN commentator Mark Jones won't be included in the network's broadcasts of Washington Huskies games, a university official told the Bay Area News Group's Jon Wilner.

The move comes after Jones alluded to the perception the Huskies schedule easier nonconference opponents in the wake of Washington's 21-16 defeat to the No. 9 Auburn Tigers on Saturday:

Jones followed up on Twitter:

Jones' initial tweet also dredged up a brief segment during ESPN's broadcast of Washington's 38-7 win over the California Golden Bears last season.

Sideline reporter Quint Kessenich pointed to three cupcakes, which he said represented the Huskies' nonconference schedule. They played the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Montana Grizzlies and Fresno State Bulldogs before starting Pac-12 play:

Jones was on that broadcast as the play-by-play announcer, with Rod Gilmore serving as the color analyst.

Hours before the Cal game, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit also drew criticism for saying Washington head coach Chris Petersen "should be thanking ESPN for actually having a relationship" after Petersen complained of not having more earlier kickoff times for his team's games.

Washington athletic director Jennifer Cohen told reporters an ESPN representative had reached out to her to apologize for the cupcake segment and that a similar incident "wouldn't happen again."