SEC Head Coach Evaluation: Tennessee's Butch Jones

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Nov 30, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Tennessee defeated Kentucky 27-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The Verdict. . .

Butch Jones has done everything right. While he inherited a program muddled in turmoil, he has turned it around with a talent influx. He has won the games he should, won a bowl game, and elevated the talent pool at a remarkable rate.

Butch Jones has drawn parallels to Hugh Freeze. Although I think they are a stretch (outside increased recruiting success they coach nothing alike), his SEC debut has gone very similar. Butch has been one win shy of Freeze’s total in both years one and two. I think that changes in year 3 with Tennessee reaching Freeze’s year 3 mark of nine wins,

Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

though you’d have to give me the bowl to make that statement with betting confidence.

While 9 wins will fall short of winning the Eastern division, it will be a successful year. Tennessee will continue to build steam, attract more recruits, satisfy more fans, and attack the 2016 year as a very serious contender.

Butch Jones gets the Southbound and Down thumbs up here. Fans of other programs in the SEC East will probably have a different finger in mind if his current trajectory continues, though.

All UT/Butch Jones stats/records taken from utsports.com

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