Alabama football under Nick Saban is known for many things, national championships and processing opposing coaches are primary.
The Alabama football – Nick Saban ‘Processee’ list is long and seemingly never-ending. A partial list of ‘Processees’ includes Tommy Bowden, Tommy Tuberville, Gene Chizik, Mark Richt and Les Miles. In addition, Saban drove Urban Meyer to an emergency room and straight out of the SEC.
No less than four current SEC coaches may be added to the processed list in the coming days and months. Two of the four might not make it through the 2017 season. One of the four, Butch Jones may not survive the week. SEC football in an era of Alabama football domination is high-risk for coaches annually battling the Tide.
In his fifth season with the Tennessee Vols, Butch Jones has a record of 33-25. I For the same period, he is 14-22 against SEC teams. What is even worse is that nine of those 14 SEC wins are against Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Kentucky. His Tennessee coaching record against teams ranked in the Top 15, is a horrible 1-14.
In May, GoVols 247 reported a CBS Sports ranking of the 65 Power Five coaches. The partisan GoVols site took no exception to the result that dropped Butch Jones 19 spots from the previous season. That latest Butch Jones ranking was No. 52 among the 65 Power Five coaches.
It has been more than 24 hours since the Vols were smoked in T-Town
So why hasn’t Butch Jones been fired? Based upon a review of Twitter, almost all Tennessee fans want Butch gone – IMMEDIATELY. Tennesee alumnus Paul Finebaum has been livid in demanding action before any practice sessions start for next week’s Kentucky game.
On ESPN Sunday morning, Finebaum said,
"“The longer it goes today, the better it is (for Jones). People fly back on Saturday night, they come into the office early. The AD wakes up and if the AD is going to fire Butch Jones, it has to be by Noon. Because you have a gameplan to put in for Kentucky. With each tick of the clock, it looks like Butch Jones has a better chance of surviving.”"
Noon went by with Tennessee Athletic Director, John Currie taking no public action. We say public action because there may well be negotiations taking place privately. It could be the University of Tennessee would prefer Jones resign. Butch could save himself the embarrassment of being fired and in return Tennessee might negotiate a reduced financial payout to Jones.
Last week we wrote about the SEC Football, Silly Season and reported the buyout for Jones is eight million dollars. That figure does not include another few million to buyout assistant coach contracts. For the past few years, the athletic department budget at Tennessee has been reported to be stressed. Could it be the Vols cannot fund an eleven-plus million dollar purge of the Butch Jones era?
One unsubstantiated rumor claimed the Jones buyout goes down by almost three million dollars in November. If so, it might make sense to exercise a little patience and save the money. Even a short delay may harm the 2018 recruiting cycle but it is already damaged.
Paul Finebaum stated he heard another possible story,
"“There was a story yesterday they were going to let him finish out the season because a win over Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt and LSU would give them an 8-4 record. My response to that is if you are now basing your coach’s future on beating a bunch of average to bad teams, then Tennessee deserves him.”"
In the 20th century, Tennessee Volunteer football was a premier program. It is still the No. 2 team in the SEC in total football victories. Though still No. 2 in the SEC in conference championships with thirteen, the Vols last one in 1998. (For the record, Alabama football is No. 1 in both total wins and conference championships (26).
The Vols are clinging to a history of college football prominence but facing a future of mediocrity. All the fault does not belong with Butch Jones. But the Vols will never escape mediocrity with Butch as head coach.
Next: Complacency can make Alabama turn Clemson
The clock is ticking for the Vols. Whether it is days or weeks, Butch Jones cannot survive the total rejection by Tennessee fans.