Tennessee football: Butch Jones putting Vols back on destructive path
By Colby Howell
Butch Jones is undoing nearly all he’s done with Tennessee football. The time to fire him is now, before he does permanent damage to the Volunteers.
The Georgia Bulldogs manhandled the Volunteers on Saturday for their first shutout loss at home since 1905. Butch Jones, amateur play-calling and emotionless execution caused Tennessee football to cave.
Most fans had an idea of what was in store for the day when Dormady threw the interception on the first play of the game. It seemed to have set the tone for the entire football game. Smokey Grey uniforms and “Checker Neyland” had zero effect on UGA.
Quinten Dormady is trying hard to prove people wrong.
More from Vols Football
- How to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!
- Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols Victory
- Week 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?
- Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?
- Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay
However, his only starting performance against a top 10 team made him look like he’s not cut out for SEC football. No, his offensive line provided him with no help, and Georgia’s defense is tough. But the abysmal stats speak for themselves: Dormady was 3-of-12 for 11 yards and 2 interceptions in the first half.
He had almost as many completions to Georgia as he did to Tennessee at halftime. Let that sink in.
Finishing at 5-of-16 with 64 yards, Dormady left the field when the Tennessee football was already in a nasty deficit, trailing 31-0. That allowed Jarrett Guarantano some reps. While he only passed for 16 yards, he managed to go 6-for-7.
Defense had several dropped picks and couldn’t stop the run. Offensive play-calling was completely transparent. There was absolutely zero capitalization on the one big turnover UT had. The result on the ensuing drive was a “butt fumble”. Trevor Daniel, the punter who’s been bailing the Vols out of some horrid three and outs, kicked a punt into players right in front of him.
Meanwhile, fans were fighting in the stands and leaving in the middle of the third quarter. This loss was as ugly as it could get. There’s only one simple explanation.
Butch Jones has to go.
It’s time. After watching Tennessee football barely squeak by on a tough win against 0-4 UMass, it came down to coaching and leadership. One could easily compare it to the Dooley era.
Butch Jones has 4 and 5 star talent spreading the field on both sides of the ball. The fact that the Vols lost their chance at the SEC East before October is inexcusable. Consider the fact that this is only Kirby Smart‘s second year as the Georgia Bulldogs’ head coach.
The elite level they’re playing at demonstrates a true contender for the SEC Championship against Alabama. As we near the halfway mark on Butch Jones’ fifth season with the Vols, they have yet to clinch the East.
Despite beating Georgia and Florida last year, losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt cost them the title shot. Not to mention, out of 5 meetings with the Florida Gators under Butch Jones, the Vols have only a single victory from 2016.
This program is nearing complete disarray. If John Currie knows what’s best, he’ll open the checkbook and fire this coach in the BYE week. OC Larry Scott and Defensive Line coach Brady Hoke both have head coaching experience. They could muddle the Vols through the rest of the season while the university finds a replacement (and there are options).
While a $9.2M buyout may seem like a lot to fire a coach, it appears a small price to pay to get the program back on track. Last year the Vols raked in over $80M in profit, but a frugal John Currie may wait until the end of the season before making a decision.
With the SEC East title now out of reach, what will the Vols be fighting for? I can’t imagine they’ll be playing any harder than they have been with nothing to gain. As a result, the University of Tennessee has nothing to lose by firing him now with a chance to keep the program under control before he does real damage.
Butch Jones has done remarkable things for the Vols football program. They cannot thank him enough for his reconstruction. But, he’s starting to lose the fanbase. People are leaving the stands. Fans will stop buying tickets. Recruits will decommit. It’s only a matter of time.