Butch Jones is not getting it done on Knoxville as the Tennessee Volunteers head coach. Here are five reasons it might be time for Tennessee to move on.
The 2016 Tennessee Volunteers have lost three straight SEC games. This team that once had College Football Playoff aspirations is spiraling out of control. One has to look to fourth-year head coach Butch Jones and say, “What’s going on?”
Tennessee is better than this. Its fans have suffered long enough. Rocky Top Nation may still be firmly behind Jones, but the Volunteers are being out-coached most weeks in the SEC. Jones has put himself on the hot seat in October 2016. Here are five reasons it might be time for Tennessee football to look elsewhere for another head coach.
5. Doesn’t have the temperament of a championship contender
For those outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, it’s been troubling to watch Jones lead this Power 5 team because he doesn’t seem to have the temperament to be an elite head coach. He’s too emotional for his own good and it’s getting old.
Tennessee has won in dramatic fashion under Jones a ton, but he’s never acted like he’s been in the end zone before. An elite head coach doesn’t fall to the ground and sob uncontrollably after beating Florida at home or a rebuilding Georgia team on the road.
These are SEC East rivals that Tennessee should beat when the Gators and Bulldogs aren’t at full strength. You wouldn’t see Jim McElwain, Mark Richt, or Steve Spurrier act the way that Jones does. It’s too rah-rah and makes the SEC look like bad. A fist pump would suffice because it doesn’t make it about you.
Jones talked about rebuilding Tennessee one brick at a time. Not only is that a redundant cliché, but this is a blue-blood program with rich history he took over. Tennessee has had great players for decades. It’s insulting to institute a culture change at school that big boosters and a rich tradition. Frankly, it’s alienating.
In short, Jones has taken this program about as far as he can. He can’t keep telling Rocky Top Nation that he needs more time. 2016 was enough time for him to right the sinking Volunteers ship. An elite head coach would have made Tennessee pop by now.