Tennessee Vols: What Will Get Butch Jones Fired In 2017?

Tennessee Vols head coach Butch Jones is considered by many to be on the hot seat heading into the 2017 season.

A significant portion of the Tennessee Vols fanbase wanted Butch Jones fired after the 2016 season.

Jones, despite leading the Vols to back-to-back nine win seasons, is feeling the heat from Tennessee fans because he wasn’t able to deliver a SEC Championship game appearance in 2016.

The Vols showed progress in each of Butch Jones’ first three seasons — which is largely due to the shape Tennessee’s football program was in under Derek Dooley.

Because of that progress, and a loaded roster, the Vols were expected to win the SEC East in 2016.

A pair of inexplicably bad performances, however, against South Carolina and Vanderbilt prevented that goal from becoming a reality.

Several significant injuries certainly affected the Vols’ 2016 season, but Tennessee still should’ve beat South Carolina and Vanderbilt even with those injuries.

An 11 win season and a trip to the Sugar Bowl was lost because the Vols severely under-performed in those two games.

That’s why fans were so upset, even after Tennessee put up back-to-back nine win seasons.

There was no progress in 2016. In fact, the Vols took a step back.

Which is why Jones is on the hot seat in 2017.

So what will it take for Jones to keep his job beyond next season?

Tennessee will have a new starting quarterback in 2017, and they lost quite a few key players to the NFL. Expectations, because of the situation, will obviously be a bit lower next season.

The Vols’ schedule, however, isn’t as bad as some may think.

There are, by my count, three games the Vols will absolutely win next season (Indiana State, UMass, and Southern Miss). Then there are five games I feel the Vols should win (Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, and Vanderbilt).

That give the Vols eight wins.

The tossup games are Georgia (at home), Florida (away), and LSU (home). We’ll go ahead and assume Alabama is a loss (until they actually beat the Tide, we have to assume they won’t).

I think for Jones to absolutely keep his job, Tennessee will need to win all of the games they should win and at least two of the tossup games. That would give the Vols ten wins.

(I don’t think the bowl game will figure into Jones’ fate).

Winning ten games (let’s say they lose to Florida and Alabama) should be enough to win the SEC East.

More from Tenn Truth

If that happens, then Jones will definitely be safe.

Let’s say the Vols win only nine games, then Tennessee decision makers will have a tough call on their hands.

Especially if Tennessee loses to Vanderbilt or Kentucky.

I think Jones will still keep his job if the Vols win nine games next season, because of the new quarterback and the talent that was lost to the NFL.

But if the Vols are only able to win eight games, then Jones is as good as gone.

I think Jones deserves 2017, with his improved coaching staff, to prove what he’s capable of doing.

However, if progress in player development isn’t made in 2017 (which will result in wins), then it will be time for Tennessee to go in a different direction.

Home/Tennessee Volunteers