Why Vols Butch Jones Doesn’t Need To Respond To Spurrier’s Jabs

Tennessee Vols Head Coach Butch Jones did what he does so well this week at SEC Media Days. He took over the situation, and made it better. It is what he has done at Tennessee. He took over the head coaching position, and he has made the team better quickly.

Jones took the podium and immediately starting selling the Tennessee program. Jones is part Madison Avenue Ad Man, part Wall Street CEO, part Life Coach, and part “Neylandesque” football coach. He covers it all. He let everyone know in no uncertain terms that he and the Tennessee Vols are back to stay.

Jones is the type of Coach that fans of other teams even like. I have heard many Vandy and Alabama fans say “I don’t like Tennessee at all, but I do like that Butch Jones”. Fans all over the Southeast are taking notice of Coach Jones and the Tennessee program. There is also South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier that has taken notice.

Spurrier is a polarizing figure here in the Volunteer State. He was of course born in East Tennessee. He of course went to Florida and became a two time All American Quarterback as well as the Heisman Trophy Winner. He went back to his Alma Mater to coach the Gators and won a National Championship there. He won one. Important to remember this.

So it is well documented how Spurrier baited and taunted Philip Fulmer during his tenure at Tennessee. Fulmer also won the same amount of National Championships as Spurrier. One. You can’t spell Citrus without UT was Spurrier’s line time and time again. He had the upper hand on Fulmer head to head. That can’t be denied. While Fulmer was working his team and coaching staff franticly Florida week, Spurrier let his team go early from practice and coaches went to the beach. Florida played loose, and Tennessee played tight. It is just how it was. Was, being the important word.

Spurrier’s comments about “I guess some 7 and 6’s are better than others” was referring to Tennessee and Arkansas finishing 7-6, which is same record his Gamecocks finished with. He referred to Tennessee and Arkansas as doing “Cartwheels over 7-6”, but Carolina fans were upset at the Gamecocks going 7-6. Was Spurrier barbing the Vols? Well yes. Should anyone care anymore? Other than laughing at the guy’s barbs and respecting what he has done for College Football and the SEC in general…No.

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Spurrier has fallen behind Jones. And in my opinion, he will stay behind. He hasn’t beaten Jones yet, and Tennessee was not favored in those contests. The “Old Ball Coach” has not lost his offensive football mind of course. He still calls as good an offensive game as anyone, and schemes as well as anyone. But he does not recruit at the level of Jones. And that will be the difference from here out. Spurrier is short time at South Carolina. Do you want to desperately call an 18 year old five star quarterback every day, or would you rather play any golf course in the world every day?Remember, you also have more money in the bank than you can ever spend. Weigh that one out.

One more 7-6 season at South Carolina (which I think will happen, if not worse this season) will wind it up for the visor. I don’t see Gamecock fans being happy at 7-6 after competing for the SEC East Crown for several years. The changes at Tennessee, Florida, and Kentucky will put pressure on the South Carolina administration to keep up with the Jones’ so to speak.

Now don’t get me wrong, Spurrier and the Gamecocks are still dangerous. They will not be a pushover for this Tennessee team this season. But the Vols will  more than likely win. Tennessee had a miracle comeback win last season in Columbia. This Vol team will be vastly superior to last season (If Dobbs stays healthy). I’m not sure if South Carolina is better or not.

The Vols are still not in position to look past anyone on their schedule. But the Tennessee trajectory and the South Carolina trajectory are pointing different directions. So when Jones made his statement about “Contrary to reports there were not any somersaults or cartwheels over 7-6” and his REAL ZINGER back “ultimately you are judged on whether your team underachieves or overachieves, and Team 118 overachieved”, he was responding directly to Spurriers comments of course. South Carolina was picked to win the East going away, and did not come close.

Yes it is refreshing as a Tennessee fan to have a coach that gives it right back to Spurrier. Fulmer never did. I respected that out of Fulmer though. Jones is not a guy that talks a lot of smack. It is not his style. He speaks straight out of the cliche book, but passionately. He respects the game, his players, the fans, the University of Tennessee, the opposing teams coaches and players, and the opposing team’s fans. It is just how he is wired.

So while it is cool to hear a comment that needles Spurrier, I think we need to set the bar a little higher than the Visor. Spurrier is becoming Mr. Irrelevant in the future of the SEC East power. That is not said disrespectfully. Again, I respect what he has done for College Football and the SEC. He raised the bar on other SEC teams and made the SEC get better. He instituted a new style of play to the SEC at Florida that made the SEC better. There is no doubt.

But that is coming to an end. So beat him on the field, and shake his hand afterwards. Let Spurrier say whatever irrelevant thing he wants to say at the end of the game about your program. It doesn’t mean anything anymore. Set your sights higher. Because that is where Butch Jones and the Tennessee Football team are headed.