Coach Jones aware 'a lot of people didn't want me here at halftime'

[zidanefan]

He's right. He handled it like he belongs here. That's fine by me. I asked for results and he provided them. That's good enough for me.

Do I think he's a championship coach? No. But I have enjoyed being wrong once this year already. I'd love to be wrong again.

He's doing what he was hired to do, albeit a year later than he should. I'm glad he beat Florida and look forward to the rest of the season.

It's not just Tennessee that is demanding results. It's every big time school.

This matches my perspective completely. I've gone on record as saying I don't think he's a championship caliber coach. Nothing would make me happier than to eat crow on that in Atlanta and then Tampa. Nothing.

 

[EastTN]

I actually think this game is a turning point for this program. It was a much needed win confidence booster, and I think we go on a run here to be honest this season. We beat te dogs, go to A&M maybe win that game, and Neyland needs to get so freaking loud for BAMA and have the freshman QB tore up to the point we win that game late.

 

[TGVol]

Great to see Butch is fully aware. Fans had every right to not want him there at the end of first half. However, the second half more than confirmed he belongs and that he is on the right track to bring this program where it needs to be. It was wonderful to see that turnaround - the team did not quit on him and certainly players seem to have his back.

 

[RollerVol]

Butch, you had support on VN, even in the first half...all two of us...:rock:

GO VOLS!

 

[NickZ4UT]

*Raises Hand*



But in my defense I'm an immature man who lost my **** in the first half.


My apologies. :hi:

You and everyone else, myself included. The reality is that after the past few weeks of looking underwhelming it appeared in the first half that our misgivings about this team and staff were true. I'm happy to say that the second half proved this team is capable of playing really good football. Beating Florida has bought Jones a lot of good will among the Vol faithful.

 

[djohnnyg]

Winning streaks used to span more than the end of one season and the start of another - at least the long streaks that were news. Maybe that says something about the state of football - that it's really hard to be totally dominant even when there is still no parity. The win at all costs isn't a healthy outlook for sports because it means the sporting aspect was left at the curb years ago, and we as a society are poorer for it. Football is a game; too bad we can't seem to remember that.

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You're right that football is 'just a game' but down south..in the SEC it IS much more than that...right or wrong... and if a coach doesn't understand that then he needs to do another job. It is what it is. Do something else if you don't like it or if you think it's silly to place such importance on the results of a college football game. Maybe it is silly...maybe it IS wrong...but it is what it is..and ANY coach in the SEC needs to understand that. Not saying Butch doesn't get that...I think he does.

 

[AM64]

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You're right that football is 'just a game' but down south..in the SEC it IS much more than that...right or wrong... and if a coach doesn't understand that then he needs to do another job. It is what it is. Do something else if you don't like it or if you think it's silly to place such importance on the results of a college football game. Maybe it is silly...maybe it IS wrong...but it is what it is..and ANY coach in the SEC needs to understand that. Not saying Butch doesn't get that...I think he does.

Since I stepped on the UT campus for the first time as a student in 1964, UT football has and never will be "just a game". However, it is still a game, and it is a sport; it is about competition and fair play even if AL or FL is the opponent. War is about winning at all cost, but sport isn't, and we need to remember that. It's why we have rules to minimize player injury; it's why we are offended by play that deliberately injures a player (Tuttle in the GA game last year); it's why you don't resort to similar cheap behavior.

The one constant that I hope always remains is the passion the UT fan base has for UT football, and that does include the opportunity to disagree with how things are going. I'm personally not completely sold on Butch Jones, but I hope he does fully grow into the role, and I hope that as a fan base we give him all the support needed to be successful - and sometime a nudge that things could be better. Success does breed success; and as the wins accumulate, better players will want to become part of the UT team. More wins like this one over the next three weeks will see to that, but the play has to be like the second half for that to happen - THAT was UT football.

 

[Neyland Law Vol]

He has been busting his ass for us since the day he got here, and is starting to show signs of heavy stress. He looks like a man in desperate need of a vacation on a island with umbrella drinks, beach side BBQ, windsurfing, deep sea fishing, and no smart phone. If he can swing it, he and the family needs to get on that plane as soon as the next NSD wraps up.

Sounds pretty good. Can I go?