Tennessee Vols: Ranking The Potential Slam Dunk Replacements For Butch Jones

Tennessee Vols head coach Butch Jones, depending on who you listen to, is squarely on the hot seat in 2017.

Fair or not, Tennessee Vols head coach Butch Jones is likely on the hot seat, to some degree, in 2017.

I know that’s a weird thing to say about a coach coming off back to back nine win seasons.

But it’s those two losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt in 2016 that are hard to get past. Had the Vols won those two games, Tennessee would’ve finished the regular season with 10 wins, likely played Alabama in the SEC Championship game, and played Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl (thought there’s no guarantee the Vols would’ve beat the Sooners and won 11 games).

Even with those two losses in mind, however, it’s hard for me to say Butch Jones should be fired.

Sure, if the Vols suffer a losing season in 2017, or barely become bowl eligible, then new Tennessee athletic director John Currie will obviously be looking for a new head coach.

But if Jones wins eight or nine games, I don’t think there’s any way you can fire him.

So let’s assume the worst and say the Vols go 6-6 in the regular season next year and Jones gets canned.

I think there are five potential (and mostly realistic) “slam dunk hires” that could potentially wind up in Knoxville.

Here are those five candidates, ranked by their appeal.