How the Butch Jones era at Tennessee might be remembered in a single phrase or sentence?
Well, it has to have something to do with his place in relation to the Dark Ages, right? I mean, that's the defining event thus far of the post-Fulmer period. So maybe something like:
-- False Dawn
or
-- False Hope
And truth be told, he has lifted us out of the worst of it ... perhaps not in the W/L column (this year is looking like it'll be right down there with the Dooley years), but certainly in cleaning up the discipline, and the academics, and the relationships. He has done some good, just not enough good. So maybe:
-- Climbing from the pit, but not out yet.
Something in those general areas, those have to be how the CBJ era will be remembered 10 or 20 years from now. I think.
He's gonna be somewhere on the level of Bill Battle, probably, once the emotions cool down (in spite of what today's character assassins want to do to him). A decent man who was in above his head.