Fan expectations caused this hire.

[sjt18]

As much as I dont like the hire of Debord, this was Butches only option. Like most of you, I really have no idea if Debord will be any good or not but there's no denying that he's not a fan favorite. The expectations of the fanbase are higher than ever because of the recruiting success Butch has had. Butch knows that he cant afford to change offensive systems at this point in his tenure at UT. He has to win and win now. The hot OC's out there were not going to come here and run Butches system, they want to implement their own system.

Butch hasnt won enough here yet to earn an extra year or two because he had to install a new offensive system. If Butch had been here for 7 or 8 years and had multiple 10-11 win seasons, he would've been able to make the sexy hire because he would've been a proven winner at that point and the fanbase would not be questioning if he was the long term answer. I have as many or more doubts about this guy as anybody does, but for right now, he's the right guy for the job. He may not be the long term answer, but with the players we have now, he just needs to be an average OC for us to win 8-10 games. JMO

I don't think changing systems was ever going to be an option. I also think Jones would have tolerated some additions that didn't change the basic concepts.

However I disagree with the idea that this is going to change when Jones has more tenure or success. I will be surprised if he ever hires an OC to make wholesale changes. This is a system he believes in. He believes it has more than ample variability to remain effective. But his focus is always going to be on execution above all else. He's said something to the effect that lots of systems would work if you execute well. Once he gets execution to the level he expects, one of the things that could mess it up is changing systems.

IMHO, future OC's will be promoted more than hired. I think in the scenario you described above where there's established success, Z would have gotten the promotion. I think UT's succession plan from position coach to OC will look like Oregon's does from OC to HC.

 

[chargervol]

I don't think changing systems was ever going to be an option. I also think Jones would have tolerated some additions that didn't change the basic concepts.

However I disagree with the idea that this is going to change when Jones has more tenure or success. I will be surprised if he ever hires an OC to make wholesale changes. This is a system he believes in. He believes it has more than ample variability to remain effective. But his focus is always going to be on execution above all else. He's said something to the effect that lots of systems would work if you execute well. Once he gets execution to the level he expects, one of the things that could mess it up is changing systems.

IMHO, future OC's will be promoted more than hired. I think in the scenario you described above where there's established success, Z would have gotten the promotion. I think UT's succession plan from position coach to OC will look like Oregon's does from OC to HC.

I would add that I could see Z getting the promotion in the future. It has beem made clear that he will share some responsibility now. "training" is a possibility.

 

[volbeast33]

As much as I dont like the hire of Debord, this was Butches only option. Like most of you, I really have no idea if Debord will be any good or not but there's no denying that he's not a fan favorite. The expectations of the fanbase are higher than ever because of the recruiting success Butch has had. Butch knows that he cant afford to change offensive systems at this point in his tenure at UT. He has to win and win now. The hot OC's out there were not going to come here and run Butches system, they want to implement their own system.

Butch hasnt won enough here yet to earn an extra year or two because he had to install a new offensive system. If Butch had been here for 7 or 8 years and had multiple 10-11 win seasons, he would've been able to make the sexy hire because he would've been a proven winner at that point and the fanbase would not be questioning if he was the long term answer. I have as many or more doubts about this guy as anybody does, but for right now, he's the right guy for the job. He may not be the long term answer, but with the players we have now, he just needs to be an average OC for us to win 8-10 games. JMO

You could consider this another Debord thread but I consider it to be more of a state of the program thread.

If Butch made this hire bc he is job scared then he is the wrong man for the job....I think he will be more like the really good coaches and it won't matter who he hires....u will still know this is a Butch jones team.

 

[KingtUT]

I would add that I could see Z getting the promotion in the future. It has beem made clear that he will share some responsibility now. "training" is a possibility.

This makes the hire even smarter. Butch gets a guy he trusts to come in for a year or two while Azzani learns more about being an OC. Two years from now he retires and we have the smoothest transition ever to a new OC, Mr Azzani.

 

[Fijivol72]

I do think his seat would be hot, but his recruiting, last 2 classes and resume prior to comng to UT far has bought him an extra year.

Problem is, if we don't make a big move upward in the SEC, this year, it's going to be exponentially harder for him to pull in top 10 classes, when he'd have 3 full years and unimpressive results on the field.

The promotion of Azzani to Passing Game Coordinator takes a little edge off this hire. So, we'll just have to wait and see if our instincts proved right or not. I hope DeBord proves us wrong, nonetheless.

Have I been hijacked to never, never land? Butch on the hot seat? WTH are you drinking, he is so far removed from that seat he can't see it. Only on VN can you go from hero to goat in one day. I am not thrilled with the hire but I am smart enough and wise enough to know Butch is making his own decision. Let the man do his damn job.

 

[KingtUT]

Have I been hijacked to never, never land? Butch on the hot seat? WTH are you drinking, he is so far removed from that seat he can't see it. Only on VN can you go from hero to goat in one day. I am not thrilled with the hire but I am smart enough and wise enough to know Butch is making his own decision. Let the man do his damn job.

totally out of context

 

[chargervol]

This makes the hire even smarter. Butch gets a guy he trusts to come in for a year or two while Azzani learns more about being an OC. Two years from now he retires and we have the smoothest transition ever to a new OC, Mr Azzani.

Debords admin experience could land him a cozy job in the office later.

I hear retirement in the south is more comfortable than MI.

 

[YorkVol]

long term vs short term results. Just my opinion

So we win a lot of games in 2015 that helps recruiting which means more wins...

 

[Insunseri]

Butch has earned my trust. I see no reason to second guess him

 

[08Vol]

Butch has earned my trust. I see no reason to second guess him

I was at the 2013 Vandy and 2014 UF games. I have a couple reasons to second guess him

 

[orangeluvr]

If announcers can see it, you know opposing coaches can see it. That's a major problem.

If I can see it it's really a major problem ! :yes:

 

[Vol 67]

I did know a "it's the fans fault" thread was going to pop up sooner or later.

Other programs are out there buying the best coaches available. This year is a must win year for Auburn. What did they do? They went out and got Muschamp. It's a must win year for A&M. They got Chavis from LSU. Florida just lured a DL coach from Texas to be a DL coach at Florida.

Tennessee? We can't lure a guy away from North Carolina State.

It's either our AD or it's our coach. Either way, it's not the fans fault. It's not our fault we lost against Florida. We, as fans, did everything possible to help our pathetic offense against them. They went out and put up 9 points and 200-something yards. Pathetic.

That's Butch's offense, by the way.

But it's our fault.

**** that.

wouldn't push him for Butch wanted a yes man and someone that would be a faithful lapdog (i.e. too old to really move on) and he head coaching gig. I guess he's a historian.

This.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Frankly not sure why everyone seems so enamored with maintaining a system that has backslid every time Jones has stepped up in proverbial weight classes from CMU to Cincinatti to now.

I said it the other day and I'll say it again, many successful coaches actually appreciate some fresh perspective.

 

[KingtUT]

Frankly not sure why everyone seems so enamored with maintaining a system that has backslid every time Jones has stepped up in proverbial weight classes from CMU to Cincinatti to now. I said it the other day and I'll say it again, many successful coaches actually appreciate some fresh perspective.

Not worth a response......wait a minute...dammit! Too late

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Not worth a response......wait a minute...dammit! Too late

Look at the total offense stat under Jones at his three stops and prove me wrong.

 

[VolFan4Life87]

I thought everyone knew why the offense has "struggled" to this point. Does a weak o-line ring a bell? I for one think the offense performed pretty well considering the obvious weakness I mentioned.

A weak offensive coordinator too. One that loved to ram our pocket passing QB into read option plays. The result was slaughter. Dumb dumb dumb. We have a running QB now so all is forgiven I suppose

 

[1standgoal]

BeBord was a safe hire, with no threat of replacing Butch in the future as head coach, going 12-34 at CMU.

 

[photovol]

Yes pretty much is what it is until UT can win the 9-10 games/year once again.....which I hope to see by 2016

 

[photovol]

Sheeshhhhhhhhhhhhh......let's play some football already....new OC and orange crush defense
Go Vol's

 

[Elvis68Vol]

As much as I dont like the hire of Debord, this was Butches only option. Like most of you, I really have no idea if Debord will be any good or not but there's no denying that he's not a fan favorite. The expectations of the fanbase are higher than ever because of the recruiting success Butch has had. Butch knows that he cant afford to change offensive systems at this point in his tenure at UT. He has to win and win now. The hot OC's out there were not going to come here and run Butches system, they want to implement their own system.

Butch hasnt won enough here yet to earn an extra year or two because he had to install a new offensive system. If Butch had been here for 7 or 8 years and had multiple 10-11 win seasons, he would've been able to make the sexy hire because he would've been a proven winner at that point and the fanbase would not be questioning if he was the long term answer. I have as many or more doubts about this guy as anybody does, but for right now, he's the right guy for the job. He may not be the long term answer, but with the players we have now, he just needs to be an average OC for us to win 8-10 games. JMO

You could consider this another Debord thread but I consider it to be more of a state of the program thread.

Agree. A classic Catch 22.

 

[Elvis68Vol]

Did the O-line struggle? Yes, mightily in fact. But the O-line was not the only part of the offense to struggle.

I would say if any opposing DC were to be honest, he would say the RB's positioning giving away the play was a bigger flaw than the O-line play.

I respectfully disagree. If the OL doesn't do its job, the entire offense will not be able to do its job. The OL did not do its job...it didn't really do its job when we had NFL-caliber lineman a couple of years ago.

Yea, I'm looking at you Mahoney.

 

[computergeekvol]

Dead on, although Fulmer got fired in the same year that he brought in the "sexy" OC hire.

 

[gunner]

As much as I dont like the hire of Debord, this was Butches only option. Like most of you, I really have no idea if Debord will be any good or not but there's no denying that he's not a fan favorite. The expectations of the fanbase are higher than ever because of the recruiting success Butch has had. Butch knows that he cant afford to change offensive systems at this point in his tenure at UT. He has to win and win now. The hot OC's out there were not going to come here and run Butches system, they want to implement their own system.

Butch hasnt won enough here yet to earn an extra year or two because he had to install a new offensive system. If Butch had been here for 7 or 8 years and had multiple 10-11 win seasons, he would've been able to make the sexy hire because he would've been a proven winner at that point and the fanbase would not be questioning if he was the long term answer. I have as many or more doubts about this guy as anybody does, but for right now, he's the right guy for the job. He may not be the long term answer, but with the players we have now, he just needs to be an average OC for us to win 8-10 games. JMO

You could consider this another Debord thread but I consider it to be more of a state of the program thread.

Sounds about right!

 

[TGVol]

Yea because Brady or Fulmer would have looked like a holes if they criticized the hire.

Maybe Brady is a closet UT fan so he kept quiet during Michigan HC search to make sure we don't miss out on Debord sweepstakes ? :crazy:

 

[QuickSmurf]

I disagree. I think Butch's recruiting and energy alone have earned him an extra 1-2 years to implement a new offense under a new OC with a better resume. There are plenty of "big splash" coordinators out there that have an offensive system close enough to ours for it not to be a complete overhaul. I think this is an example of Butch fully believing in his system. He wants someone to run it as it is with maybe a little more creativity in play calling. I'm not particularly fond of the hire because I'm a numbers guy and Debord just doesn't have the stats.... .but this wasn't a hire of fear or necessity, it was a hire of stubbornness. We will see if it was well placed.

I agree but not that it was a hire out of stubbornness.