Didn't know much about him, but after looking at his coaching resume and what he had done with his previous teams and the success he had. I thought well about time we got a coach that at least has a winning record in the college ranks.
I knew he had some short-term success but he had also never been anywhere for longer than 3 seasons. So who was he? Could he build a program or was he a maintainer? We didn't know. I didn't put too much stock in the conf. championships as half the conference could claim it.
He certainly said all the right things but as time went on he seemed to put his money where his mouth was. He's worked his tail off since he's been here and at the end of the day he's a great ambassador for UT and I'm glad he's our coach.
I did not know much about him, so I looked him up and really liked what I read. I also said he has to be much better than Vince Dooley's son. It turns out, it was by far the best hire Hart could have made. I think CBJ thought he had something to prove and he and his staff have worked their tails off. This is the most active staff I have seen at Tennessee since the first game I saw in 1946. Happy days are here again.
I saw Butch coaching some Cincinnati games and knew he was a passionate coach. I thought, man we need someone like that here. Then when I found out he was a candidate, I was the only one that I knew of that wanted him while we going after Charlie Strong. People at work still tell me how right I was wanting him here.
I got my undergrad degree from Cincy so I was familiar with him and what he had done there. I wasn't sure how the transition would be but knew that the Cincy crowd loved him. It's ironic that I had already used the handle BearcatVol before he was hired. It even seems more appropriate now.
I figured we were just buying time with a cheap coach until our financial situation improved. He has done an incredible job so far! It's looking like we got a major bargain.
I figured we were just buying time with a cheap coach until our financial situation improved. He has done an incredible job so far! It's looking like we got a major bargain.
I am with you had no ideal he could pull 2 top 5 recruiting classes back to back and the talk of the SEC by year 3 and just maybe we got our big name coach 3 years ago and had no ideal that would happen.:rock:
Yeah, did not answer poll b/c I was a little in the middle. Figured he was the best we could get with the mess we had created.
The weird thing to me was that I knew a little about Jones by watching some UC games. The one against us, I remember paying attention to how he acted on the sidelines and with players in warmups etc. I thought he came off like a "intense guy poser". I usually don't pay attention to opposing coaches much. Was kinda weird when he was announced, buuut now I B like...
BTW OP! Your title caused my heart to pause for about 2 seconds when I came on VN this morning. I thought I was late hearing something big and was not thinking positive. Still jaded after the past 6 years I think.