Butch Jones: The Man We Needed, The Coach We Didn't

#1
dcm3w

dcm3w

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#1
We look at ourselves and UT leadership and wonder how did we make another coaching mistake? Another blunder that could have been avoided. We blame ourselves for believing in someone that left us damaged. We blame the administration for not hiring a "homerun" head coach. But the writing on the wall for Butch wasn't there. He was a promising fast burner head coach who was having success at his previous stops. Hindsight tells us that it was probably the ripple effect of Brian Kelly and the competition level. But if you look at Butch's first three years, you see that same trend. I think Butch is a decent coach who was just in a more competitive conference that he has no business of being in. An overrated recruiter in the sense that he pulled quantity over quality. We know he didn't develop but he didn't recruit for his scheme. I also believe his offensive scheme was at the end of the fast paced, no huddle spread era and his gimmicky offense was no longer relevant without top skill players in a top conference. I will say he exhausted his resources in bringing in fine assistant coaches but his micromanaging killed him in the end.

However, his way to market UT in the media, recruits, and to fans was impeccable...until he couldn't produce. His media conferences at first were interesting because it seemed like a story line to success but by year 4 it was redundant. He brought an energy to UT that made fans excited about going and put us in SEC champ talk again. Something we long craved for as a fan base. We needed that but when we had a school record worst season and a disastrous coaching search...it's hard for fans to be excited. Most of the fan base is damaged and they don't want to put their hopes and dreams into a new coach whether it be Pruitt, Schiano, or even Chip. Butch didn't belong behind a headset but in the sport's marketing of UT. While I hate Butch for leaving us in shambles but I thank him for atleast making Tennessee fun to watch (except last season).

Sorry for the grammar and cool story bro.
 
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#3
#3
While embarrassed by the last ten years by the university bumbling around in the darkness of arrogance and ignorance, I look forward. It’s the only thing to do. I’m hoping coach Pruitt brings back credibility and respect back to rocky top.
 
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#4
#4
Butch was a good recruiter and a good representative of the university. His off field incidents were low and player grades were high. He avoided any personal issues and scandals and carried himself well off the field.

Guy just couldn't coach. Couldn't adjust on the fly, was stubborn, had a poor scheme and an awful S&C program.

People should really appreciate what Dobbs did for this program. He could have been a Cam Newton level player with proper coaching.
 
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#7
#7
dcm3w said:
We look at ourselves and UT leadership and wonder how did we make another coaching mistake? Another blunder that could have been avoided. We blame ourselves for believing in someone that left us damaged. We blame the administration for not hiring a "homerun" head coach. But the writing on the wall for Butch wasn't there. He was a promising fast burner head coach who was having success at his previous stops. Hindsight tells us that it was probably the ripple effect of Brian Kelly and the competition level. But if you look at Butch's first three years, you see that same trend. I think Butch is a decent coach who was just in a more competitive conference that he has no business of being in. An overrated recruiter in the sense that he pulled quantity over quality. We know he didn't develop but he didn't recruit for his scheme. I also believe his offensive scheme was at the end of the fast paced, no huddle spread era and his gimmicky offense was no longer relevant without top skill players in a top conference. I will say he exhausted his resources in bringing in fine assistant coaches but his micromanaging killed him in the end.

However, his way to market UT in the media, recruits, and to fans was impeccable...until he couldn't produce. His media conferences at first were interesting because it seemed like a story line to success but by year 4 it was redundant. He brought an energy to UT that made fans excited about going and put us in SEC champ talk again. Something we long craved for as a fan base. We needed that but when we had a school record worst season and a disastrous coaching search...it's hard for fans to be excited. Most of the fan base is damaged and they don't want to put their hopes and dreams into a new coach whether it be Pruitt, Schiano, or even Chip. Butch didn't belong behind a headset but in the sport's marketing of UT. While I hate Butch for leaving us in shambles but I thank him for atleast making Tennessee fun to watch (except last season).

Sorry for the grammar and cool story bro.
Click to expand...

Well at least you put some actually thought into one thread rather than starting multiple threads with drivel.
 
#8
#8
Butch is way too thin skinned to be coaching big time college football. Completely goes cornball to the media with stuff like “champions of life” when the heat is tuned up. He didn’t deserve or earn the job at a program like a Tennessee. That said, he seems like a decent man who ran a pretty clean unit while here.
 
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#9
#9
I was bored a week ago and watched the first half of the Tennessee - Florida game from 2001, my freshman year at UT. I miss being that caliber of a team. It was pretty obvious to me, early on, that neither Jones nor Dooley were going to get us there. Fingers crossed for Pruitt.
 
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#11
#11
dcm3w said:
We look at ourselves and UT leadership and wonder how did we make another coaching mistake? Another blunder that could have been avoided. We blame ourselves for believing in someone that left us damaged. We blame the administration for not hiring a "homerun" head coach. But the writing on the wall for Butch wasn't there. He was a promising fast burner head coach who was having success at his previous stops. Hindsight tells us that it was probably the ripple effect of Brian Kelly and the competition level. But if you look at Butch's first three years, you see that same trend. I think Butch is a decent coach who was just in a more competitive conference that he has no business of being in. An overrated recruiter in the sense that he pulled quantity over quality. We know he didn't develop but he didn't recruit for his scheme. I also believe his offensive scheme was at the end of the fast paced, no huddle spread era and his gimmicky offense was no longer relevant without top skill players in a top conference. I will say he exhausted his resources in bringing in fine assistant coaches but his micromanaging killed him in the end.

However, his way to market UT in the media, recruits, and to fans was impeccable...until he couldn't produce. His media conferences at first were interesting because it seemed like a story line to success but by year 4 it was redundant. He brought an energy to UT that made fans excited about going and put us in SEC champ talk again. Something we long craved for as a fan base. We needed that but when we had a school record worst season and a disastrous coaching search...it's hard for fans to be excited. Most of the fan base is damaged and they don't want to put their hopes and dreams into a new coach whether it be Pruitt, Schiano, or even Chip. Butch didn't belong behind a headset but in the sport's marketing of UT. While I hate Butch for leaving us in shambles but I thank him for atleast making Tennessee fun to watch (except last season).

Sorry for the grammar and cool story bro.
Click to expand...

And now he's laughing all the way to the bank and working for a big rival. I sure wish I could fail my way to success like so many of these crappy football coaches do. If not for incompetent ADs, people like Butch would be coaching high schoolers in gym class.
 
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#12
#12
While I agree with some of the OP, I think a BIG part of the problem has been the ability of one prominent affluent family with their name plastered all over the UT campus to pretty much dictate what the athletic department would do. Let's be thankful for the uprising and cooperation of some other prominent boosters determined to rectify the problem.
 
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#13
#13
I so wanted him to succeed at TN. I really did. I have always felt he is a good person. I liked him.
He and the team showed improvement as time went along. Then in 2017, the wheels started coming off the wagon. Why this happened I do not know.
Anyhow, I wish him the best in the future and will never make fun of him.
Yes, it was time for a change. So we move on.
 
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#14
#14
MurphyVol said:
Butch was a good recruiter and a good representative of the university. His off field incidents were low and player grades were high. He avoided any personal issues and scandals and carried himself well off the field.

Guy just couldn't coach. Couldn't adjust on the fly, was stubborn, had a poor scheme and an awful S&C program.

People should really appreciate what Dobbs did for this program. He could have been a Cam Newton level player with proper coaching.
Click to expand...

He is a decent recruiter but ran players off quickly.. That is a sign of a jackass
 
#15
#15
Good Lord!

tenor.gif
 
#16
#16
Butch is a descent human being but his stubbornness & arrogance got in the way too much to be an SEC HC.

He did some good things while he was here but he has no business being the man in charge.
 
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#17
#17
ice said:
I so wanted him to succeed at TN. I really did. I have always felt he is a good person. I liked him.
He and the team showed improvement as time went along. Then in 2017, the wheels started coming off the wagon. Why this happened I do not know.
Anyhow, I wish him the best in the future and will never make fun of him.
Yes, it was time for a change. So we move on.
Click to expand...

He is a true champion of life.
 
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#18
#18
DCM3W, thanks for recognizing the complexity of human beings.

Butch was, like any of us, better at some things than others. He had strengths, and he had weaknesses. Unfortunately, his weaknesses were in some pretty key areas for a football head coach.

Lot of folks can't mentally handle complexity. They won't get this thread. They'll reply that Butch just plain old sucked, and nothing good could come from him.

No sense arguing with those people; they simply won't ever get it. In their world, everything is a light switch, on or off, good or bad, white or black. They can't see shades of grey.

So, thanks for seeing all the complexity of Butch's persona. If only he'd been a good coach, he'd have made an excellent head coach.
 
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#20
#20
dan4vols said:
While embarrassed by the last ten years by the university bumbling around in the darkness of arrogance and ignorance, I look forward. It’s the only thing to do. I’m hoping coach Pruitt brings back credibility and respect back to rocky top.
Click to expand...

Coach Pruitt will bring us back to where we belong. Fulmer said it his self, Tennessee football team has looked soft for the last few years. I would say it started with Dooley and went on threw Butch. You look when Pruitt hired a S/C coach the first thing they did was redo the weight room. Got rid of the mirrows and added new weight equipment to get them stronger. Tennessee football will be back to being physical and no push over. I am excited for once for Tennessee football to where we will be back to. Just look at the type of players Pruitt and his coaches are bringing in. You didnt see Dooley or Butch try to recruit against Alabama, Georgia, and other big time colleges. And you people don't judge Pruitt by what Kirby has done at Georgia. Mark R. left Kirby a ton of talent. Probaly two of the best running backs in football. Pruitt and his coaches will have a lot of work to do but i believe they will get us back on top of the SEC east. You will see.
 
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#21
#21
RowdyTop said:
Butch had major confidence issues
Click to expand...

Correct. Dude was in over his head in the SEC, was very insecure and we saw that over and over again in his pressers. It also bled into how he evidently treated his players in the end which led to seeing it all fall apart in year 5.
 
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