Tennessee football: Vols coach Butch Jones labeled “steady” by Athlon

Tennessee football head coach Butch Jones was considered a hire that’s “holding steady” by Athlon due to his work with the Volunteers the past four years.

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Entering his fifth year, Butch Jones appears to be on the hot seat with Tennessee football. But the truth of the matter is that while he hasn’t done anything on paper to guarantee his status as an elite coach, he’s done nothing to come even close to getting fired.

And Athlon sees as much.

In an analysis of head coaching hires since 2012, the magazine considered Jones a hire that his “holding steady.”

He wasn’t a home run hire. Those titles went to Jim Harbaugh, Urban Meyer, James Franklin, Chris Petersen and, controversially, Gus Malzahn.

He’s considered a guy who has his program on the right track but yet to win big, alongside names like Bobby Petrino and Mike Leach.

Here’s what the media outlet said about Jones.

"The 2016 Vols were erratic, combustible, and resilient — often on the same afternoon — a combination that tempered disappointment with sheer exhaustion. The result was a missed opportunity in a watered-down division, but also a reminder of how far the Vols have come on Jones’ watch."

Of course, while they are right, Jones has gotten a bit of unfair reputation. The guy inherited a mess of a program when he took over, and he has the Vols now on solid ground.

Sure, 2016 was a disappointment, but the Tennessee football program as a whole is in much better shape than it was before Jones arrived.

That’s probably why Athlon gave him the rating they did.

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Other categories in the rating included “trending up,” which Justin Fuente was on, and then there was “the thrill is gone” and “the jury is out.” Funny enough, Hugh Freeze was on the list for “the jury is out,” but this post came out before his firing.