Leadership Reps: Power ranking the best Butch Jones cliches

By John Buhler | Oct 21, 2017

GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 16: Head Coach Butch Jones of the Tennessee Volunteers is seen on the sidelines during the second half of their game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /

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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 04: Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones awaits the trophy presentation after the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Tennessee Volunteers on September 04, 2017. Georgia Tech defeated Tennessee by the score of 42-41 in double overtime at the Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

7. Resilient

“There’s something about this team. They’re resilient. They understand. You don’t win a game like that unless you have character, and I continue to say that.” – Jones after Tennessee beat Georgia in Athens on a last-second Hail Mary on Oct. 1, 2016.

Resilient/resiliency is a phrase Rocky Top knows all too well from Jones. He uses it all the time and using it after a flukey win on the road against Georgia was probably not the best time to use it.

Georgia was playing a true freshman quarterback in Jacob Eason with a first-year head coach in Kirby Smart calling the shots. It’s safe to say Georgia has found itself in 2017, but that was a rebuilding year in Athens and everybody knows that.

Keep in mind before that Hail Mary from Joshua Hobbs to Jauan Jennings, Tennessee surrendered what could have been a game-winning touchdown bomb from Eason to true freshman receiver Riley Ridley. Georgia shot itself in the foot more than anything on that Saturday afternoon.

Yet, Jones fell to his knees in an emotional outburst after winning in unbelievable. Doesn’t being resilient mean that you expect to win no matter what? You know compete until the end? Well, that didn’t happen with Tennessee in 2016 and the first three lines of this quote look foolish in retrospect. Maybe the kids are resilient because they keep getting put in less than advantageous situations? Ever thought of that?

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