Rifleman
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We posted a 9-4 record this year = 69.2%
Our 82636854 record all time = 68.3%
A string of seasons like the one we just endured would leave Butch outperforming slightly Tennessee's all time record . . . and yet it would probably get him fired fairly quickly.
This might seem unfair, but it is mostly because of the success of two coaches which we feel are the benchmark for Tennessee football:
Under General Neyland
1733112 = 80.1% (this includes an 83% conference win percentage and 8 conference titles)
Under Coach Fulmer
152 - 52 = 74.5% (74.2% in conference and 2 conference titles)
As Vol fans we tend to default to the successes under these two coaches as the norm, and not as extraordinary.
But what about other great Vol coaches? The stats for the four most noteworthy are also impressive:
Doug Dickey: 73.8% in 65 games (67.6% in conference)
Bill Battle: 72.3% in 83 games (54.9% in conference)
Johnny Majors: 64.5% in 186 games (58.5% in conference a 3 SEC titles)
Bowden Wyatt: 62.2% in 82 games (55.4% in conference and 1 title)
If we take the records of these six coaches over 836 games, then you get a 71.2% total and a 66.9% conference win percentage.
Since these guys could tie their opponents, and that is no longer possible, it is reasonable to allocate ties 50/50 to the wins and losses columns (and more than fair). That changes the numbers to what I believe is a reasonable expectation for winning percentages for an average Tennessee coach who holds the job for more than 4 years:
1) win 73% of all games,
2) and, most critically, 69% of SEC games.
Yes Butch has rebuilt this program to respectability, but he is 14-18 in SEC play to date. This year we actually took a step backwards from 5-3 to 4-4. That is simply not good enough at Tennessee. The percentages from the coaches who laid the bedrock of this program suggest that a 6-2 SEC campaign is just slightly above the average for a long term coach. 5-3 is 62.5% and 6-2 is 75%.
Our tradition is winning SEC games against traditional football powerhouses, not just beating up inferior FBS teams and B1G also rans in 2nd tier bowl games. There is no reason that a Tennessee coach who cannot post a 6-2 record in conference in 5 years time cannot be justifiably and fairly dismissed.
That is why, though I give him all the credit in the world based on where Dooley left us, next year could very well be the last for Butch Jones on Rocky Top.
Our 82636854 record all time = 68.3%
A string of seasons like the one we just endured would leave Butch outperforming slightly Tennessee's all time record . . . and yet it would probably get him fired fairly quickly.
This might seem unfair, but it is mostly because of the success of two coaches which we feel are the benchmark for Tennessee football:
Under General Neyland
1733112 = 80.1% (this includes an 83% conference win percentage and 8 conference titles)
Under Coach Fulmer
152 - 52 = 74.5% (74.2% in conference and 2 conference titles)
As Vol fans we tend to default to the successes under these two coaches as the norm, and not as extraordinary.
But what about other great Vol coaches? The stats for the four most noteworthy are also impressive:
Doug Dickey: 73.8% in 65 games (67.6% in conference)
Bill Battle: 72.3% in 83 games (54.9% in conference)
Johnny Majors: 64.5% in 186 games (58.5% in conference a 3 SEC titles)
Bowden Wyatt: 62.2% in 82 games (55.4% in conference and 1 title)
If we take the records of these six coaches over 836 games, then you get a 71.2% total and a 66.9% conference win percentage.
Since these guys could tie their opponents, and that is no longer possible, it is reasonable to allocate ties 50/50 to the wins and losses columns (and more than fair). That changes the numbers to what I believe is a reasonable expectation for winning percentages for an average Tennessee coach who holds the job for more than 4 years:
1) win 73% of all games,
2) and, most critically, 69% of SEC games.
Yes Butch has rebuilt this program to respectability, but he is 14-18 in SEC play to date. This year we actually took a step backwards from 5-3 to 4-4. That is simply not good enough at Tennessee. The percentages from the coaches who laid the bedrock of this program suggest that a 6-2 SEC campaign is just slightly above the average for a long term coach. 5-3 is 62.5% and 6-2 is 75%.
Our tradition is winning SEC games against traditional football powerhouses, not just beating up inferior FBS teams and B1G also rans in 2nd tier bowl games. There is no reason that a Tennessee coach who cannot post a 6-2 record in conference in 5 years time cannot be justifiably and fairly dismissed.
That is why, though I give him all the credit in the world based on where Dooley left us, next year could very well be the last for Butch Jones on Rocky Top.
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