Tenn Truth
Fansided

Power 5 Head Coaching Tiers: Where Does Vols Head Coach Butch Jones Fall?

By Zach Ragan

Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the second half against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the second half against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 7
Next
Dec 3, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder (left) and TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson talk during team warm-ups before an NCAA football game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder (left) and TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson talk during team warm-ups before an NCAA football game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports /

Tier 3 — Not Quite Elite

These coaches contend for conference championships on a near yearly basis and may occasionally contend for a national championship.

  • Kevin Sumlin — Texas A&M (79-38)
  • Mark Dantonio — Michigan State (108-59)
  • Mike Gundy — Oklahoma State (104-50)
  • Gary Patterson — TCU (149-54)
  • Bill Snyder — Kansas State (202-105-1)
  • James Franklin — Penn State (44-30)
  • Bobby Petrino — Louisville (109-43)
  • Dan Mullen — Mississippi State (61-42)
  • Jim McElwain — Florida (41-24)
  • Dave Cutcliffe — Duke (96-90)
  • Kyle Whittingham — Utah (104-50)
  • Gus Malzahn — Auburn (44-21)
  • Mark Richt — Miami (154-55)
  • Tom Herman — Texas (22-4)
  • Brian Kelly — Notre Dame (230-88-2)

This is where it can start to get tricky.

These are the coaches that have won conference championships, or come very, very close. These coaches almost always have their teams in the top 25.

When you see one of these teams on the schedule, you can never count it as a win. It’s always, at best, a toss up game.

The only two names on this list that are held back by the programs they lead, in my opinion, are Dan Mullen and Dave Cutcliffe. I think both of those coaches could have a lot more success at another school.

Home/Tennessee Volunteers