All for Tennessee
Fansided

Ranking every SEC football coach ahead of SEC Media Days: Where does Butch Jones stand?

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide shakes hands with head coach Butch Jones of the Tennessee Volunteers after their 49-10 win at Neyland Stadium on October 15, 2016 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide shakes hands with head coach Butch Jones of the Tennessee Volunteers after their 49-10 win at Neyland Stadium on October 15, 2016 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 15
Next
COLLEGE STATION, TX – OCTOBER 08: Head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers Butch Jones watches a play in the first half of their game against the Texas A
COLLEGE STATION, TX – OCTOBER 08: Head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers Butch Jones watches a play in the first half of their game against the Texas A /

Probably nobody has taken more unfair heat this past offseason than Butch Jones. As the Tennessee football head coach, he faces expectations on the level of Alabama every year.

Live Feed

UTSA vs. Tennessee Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4
UTSA vs. Tennessee Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4 /

Betsided

  • 2023 Week 4 AP Poll Top 25: Every SEC team’s highest, lowest spot on ballot South Bound & Down
  • SEC Standings: What does upset do for Florida football? FanSided
  • Three reasons that Florida was able to beat top-ranked Tennessee FanSided
  • 5 College Football Playoff contenders who haven’t played like it yet FanSided
  • SEC Football: Florida, LSU rise in Week 4 2023 power rankings South Bound & Down

    • But Jones inherited a program that had three straight losing seasons and missed two straight bowl games. He then lose his starting quarterback for the season each of his first two years, which is why he went 5-7 and then 7-6 those years.

    Still, he met exact expectations both years. And he did the same thing in 2015, when his team was a Top 25 team predicted to finish second in the East. Well, they finished second in the East and ended the year in the Top 25.

    Last year was the first year the Vols under-achieved, and it’s what keeps Jones in the middle of the pack and not much higher.

    However, they were expected to go 9-3 or 10-2 and win the East, but they finished 9-4 again and second in the East despite numerous injuries and staff contention down the stretch. So he didn’t massively under-achieve.

    And amidst all that, he has Tennessee football back to being a consistent Top 25 team. As a result, Jones deserves lots of credit since the Vols are now a program, not just a team that relies on one year.

    This season will prove just how true that is, though, as he breaks in a new quarterback and replaces key players. Unless he has a championship season, he’ll likely stay in the middle of this pack. But that’s much higher than what people have given him credit for.

    Home/Vols Football