Fansided

5 replacements for Butch Jones at Tennessee

By Charles Rahrig V

Feb 23, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Butch Jones speaks during the joint head coach press conference at Brenda Lawson Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 23, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Butch Jones speaks during the joint head coach press conference at Brenda Lawson Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 10, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier runs off the field following a loss against the LSU Tigers in a game at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated South Carolina 45-24. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier runs off the field following a loss against the LSU Tigers in a game at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated South Carolina 45-24. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Steve Spurrier

When Steve Spurrier resigned from his job at South Carolina, he didn’t say he was retiring for good from coaching in college football and the belief is that he would like to coach again with a big program. If there’s a team that could use a guy like Spurrier to build some desperately needed character on their roster, it’s the Tennessee Volunteers.

He knows the SEC, particularly the SEC East, well and has plenty of coaching experience. He’s a great developer of talent and players like playing for him.

He also would have a much easier road in the SEC East, then he would in the juggernaut that is the SEC West every single season.

The Volunteers have plenty of talent in place, but if they fire Jones, they don’t want to risk bottoming out again as a program and then hoping the next guy that comes in can bring them back to relevancy. They need someone who can provide a smooth transition and someone that is likable.

That person is Spurrier and it’s a safe bet that he would handle these types of things far differently than Jones would. He’s also proven with a championship pedigree. What more could the Volunteers want?

Next: 4. Jon Gruden

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