Sometimes there are no smoke and mirrors. Sometimes what is happening is right in front of you. I think they are telling the truth. Butch still has some support of the AD and Administration to keep his job through the year, and possibly to the next because they dont want to pay a buyout or pay for a decent coach.
This has happened for years. We have all the money, tradition, facilities that every other big program has, but we dont have the balls or brains to make it happen. 
Tennessee has been a consistent disappointment for a while because the leaders are ok with where they are. Tennessee gonna Tennessee.