Vols Football: 5 Things Butch Jones Must Do To Improve Next Season
By Zach Ragan
Roll The Dice
It’s fairly well known that Butch Jones does his best coaching when his back is against the wall.
When Tennessee gets a lead, Jones tends to go conservative and play not to lose. Which, of course, typically leads to a loss (Florida in 2014 and 2015, Oklahoma in 2015, Arkansas in 2015, etc).
But when the Vols get down, Jones throws out the gameplan and just goes for it.
It’s something we’ve seen since Jones’ first season in Knoxville back in 2013.
Tennessee nearly upset Georgia in 2013 and it happened because Jones started gambling. He would go for it on fourth down. He called plays that weren’t considered “safe”.
Jones needs to quit waiting until Tennessee is down by 17 points to start rolling the dice.
The great coaches, guys like Saban and Belichick, coach like this from the outset of the game. They let the flow of the game dictate the calls.
Jones likes to stick to a scripted gameplan early in games. I understand the thought process. But if it’s clear early that the flow of the game is heading in a different direction, then Jones needs to be willing scrap the gameplan and improvise.
Next: Vols Scored A Lot in 2016, But That Was Also True In 2012
What would you like to see Butch Jones do different in 2017?