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Tennessee football: Despite worst season in history, Vols aren’t at rock bottom

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 01: Fans pack the stands to support their teams as the Mississippi Rebels face the Tennessee Volunteers on October 1, 2005 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 01: Fans pack the stands to support their teams as the Mississippi Rebels face the Tennessee Volunteers on October 1, 2005 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee football just completed its worst season in school history by going 4-8. But that does not mean that the Volunteers have hit rock bottom.

Yes, Tennessee football suffered its first eight-loss season in school history. Yes, they went winless in the SEC for the first time ever. And yes, by doing so they lost to all their rivals, even the bad ones.

But no, Tennessee is not at rock bottom. In fact, the Vols aren’t even close to as bad as they were just a few years ago.

Hitting rock bottom implies the state of the program is awful. That’s not actually the case in Knoxville.

In fact, quite the contrary, the next coach will inherit a much better situation than either of the previous two coaches inherited when they arrived on Rocky Top.

Any Tennessee football fan should be willing to take the state of the program now, coming off of a 4-8 season, over where it was when Derek Dooley arrived in Knoxville. And that team was coming off a 7-6 season.

However, the amount of attrition from two other head coaches along with the NCAA investigations hampered what the Vols could do at that point.

As a result of all that, Butch Jones arrived on campus installing a new system, and as he was set to have it take off his second year, he had to replace his entire offensive line.

Tennessee football’s current state is a program with a lot of young talent that just needs the right coaching and the right system to perform well. The offense may be awful, but there is talent at quarterback. There is talent on the offensive line when everybody gets fully healthy.

And on top of all that, there are key playmakers.

Meanwhile, the defense does have some weapons coming back, particularly on the front seven. And when more guys get healthy, you’re dealing with a roster made up of guys from Top 10 and Top 15 recruiting classes, even with a few transfers and dismissals.

And amidst all the decommitments and turmoil over the last month, the Vols still somehow have a Top 25 recruiting class on Rivals at this moment. There’s no reason that can’t improve quickly with the right hire.

Simply put, Butch Jones did not leave an empty cupboard for the next guy. He may have done a lot of things wrong, but that’s not one of them.

And the Vols, as of now, aren’t facing any significant NCAA investigations either.

As a result, Tennessee football is not at rock bottom. In fact, they are far from it. One correct coaching hire can turn the program around in the year. That’s why, despite a 4-8 season, fans have every right to be excited about the future.

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