Fansided

Butch Jones fires back at Spurrier for ‘highfives and cartwheels’ comment

By Cody Williams

Oct 19, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones (left) talks with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier (right) prior to the game at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones (left) talks with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier (right) prior to the game at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Steve Spurrier was unkind to Tennessee and Arkansas at SEC Media Days, which caused Volunteers coach Butch Jones to fire back.

SEC Media Days became the Steve Spurrier Show on Tuesday, as the South Carolina head coach addressed everything from the social issues in Charleston, SC to retirement to 3-4 defenses. Included in the wide-ranging discussion was talk of South Carolina’s 7-6 record last season, at which time the HBC proceeded to take shots at Arkansas and Tennessee by saying the programs saw a lot of “high-fives and cartwheels” after their respective 7-6 seasons.

As you might expect, this didn’t go over well with Tennessee head coach Butch Jones. When Jones took the podium for his address at SEC Media Day, he immediately took on Spurrier’s comments. Jones had this to say, per CBS Sports:

"“Contrary to reports, there were no back flips and there were no somersaults,” Jones said. “In the world of college football, you’re judged on wins and losses but you’re also judged by, ‘Did your team overachieve,’ or ‘Did your team underachieve?'”Jones said the Vols overachieved last season and now the program, for the first time since he took over as head coach, is in a position where “we expect to win, we don’t just hope to win.”"

Despite the pettiness of college football coaches taking potshots at one another, that’s quite a dignified response from Jones. It also doesn’t hurt that Jones is in the driver’s seat of the quarrel after having felled the Gamecocks twice since arriving in Knoxville.

Possibly more important is the fact that Jones wasn’t interested in playing Spurrier’s games. One thing Spurrier has mastered over his coaching career is gaining mental edges. You have to assume that’s what he was opening the door for here. Jones shut it with authority as he took the podium.

Even if Jones’ rebuttal didn’t necessarily fan the flames, it’d be safe to say that the next time Tennessee and South Carolina meet it won’t be an entirely friendly affair. Go ahead and circle Nov. 7 on your viewing calendar, because that game in Knoxville is one you won’t want to miss.

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