Tennessee football: John Kelly’s suspension can’t be Butch Jones’s excuse vs. Kentucky

Tennessee football running back John Kelly is suspended for Saturday’s game against the Kentucky Wildcats. But that can’t be an excuse for the Volunteers.

Butch Jones should have already been fired. That he could coach Tennessee football for another week after the Alabama game was a scandal in itself. However, an SB Nation report last week said that Jones to have a chance would have to win out after Alabama.

So despite the fact that such a decision means waiting too long anyway, the Vols may now be in worse shape. That’s because if they were giving him that leeway, then the administration clearly wants any reason to keep him.

And now, even if he loses to the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday, they have a built-in excuse: John Kelly‘s suspension.

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Jones released a statement that Kelly and Will Ignont would both be suspended when the Vols face Kentucky over the weekend due to a marijuana citation they received. Now, without scoring a touchdown in three games and 14 quarters overall, the Vols are without their best offensive player.

It could be a recipe for disaster. Here’s the issue…it shouldn’t be.

If the administration has any brains, the absence of Kelly is no reason for Tennessee football’s offense to struggle. At least based on recruiting services, the Vols still have more talent all over the field than Kentucky.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats have looked horrible on defense considering the weak schedule they have played so far.

That means that Jones and Larry Scott should still have to help their offensive unit put on a clinic to win this game. If the Vols lose again because of lack of offense, Kelly’s absence is no excuse.

Ty Chandler has shown he has talent. The offensive line is still pretty decent. Jarrett Guarantano was a four-star recruit who has played in the system for two years now as the quarterback.

And Ethan Wolf, Marquez Callaway, Brandon Johnson and Josh Palmer would all be No. 1 options on Kentucky.

So no, don’t come to me about a Kelly suspension. The Vols have too much talent everywhere else on the field for Jones defenders to use that as an excuse.

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If Tennessee football loses to Kentucky on Saturday, the administration has got to do what it should have done last week. They need to fire him immediately and get an interim in there to close out the season. Otherwise, they’ll sink the Vols’ program further.