My Sad Beerpiphany

So, I was drinking many a cerveza at my local bar with some friends when we reached an upsetting conclusion. Let it be known, none of us like Botch Jones, but of course I'm pleased the team is back above 500. Anyways, I think Botch might actually be the WORST possible coach for UT.
My reasons:
-Butch is obviously a major upgrade over Dooley, but let's not pretend he's in the same solar system as the Sabans and Meyers of the world. There will never be a season when Botch doesn't lose to at least one of Floroda, Georgia, or Bama. He's not the greatest in-game coach, and his recruiting (pretending for a second he's actually still recruiting well) isn't good enough to win with talent alone ala Fulmer.
-this is compounded by the fact UT fans are coming off a terrible stretch in Vol history and will settle for his slightly above average job. I fear the lesson UT fans will take from the last decade is that firing Fulmer was a mistake. I can already hear the sycophants, "why would we fire 8 win Butch? Count your blessings. Remember last time we fired a UT coaching legend?!?!" As if settling for mediocrity is somehow preferable to just losing...
-Finally, UT is a destination job for Butch. He ain't leavin'.

Basically what I'm saying is Butch is just good enough to stay at UT, but he's not close to good enough to complete for NCs. And the mouth breathers who follow our team have the memory of goldfish. He can lose to Bama every year as long as he whips USCe's ass the next week.

 

Eh I think the people who wanted Fulmer fired will always think that, and the people who didn't always won't.

Everything else, I'm not far from agreeing with you.

I just don't think it's that easy to go out and get a Saban or Meyer. Maybe we blew our shot this last go-round.

I think it comes down to the fact that most people just see it as entertainment and don't really care to look too far under the hood.

 

This is true, though it's not entertaining for me to watch my alma mater wallow in the muck and mire of perpetual mediocrity. Getting Saban or Meyer isn't easy, you're right. What's your point? It's hard to be great so we should settle for just being "good." IMHO UT has too many resources and too rich a tradition to settle for the second tier of the SEC. I'd almost rather have a shitty coach we could cut ties with and move on.

 

Nah I'm just saying you'll probably go through a lot of guys before you find one unless you spend the money and the stars align for you as well.

 

Like I said I agree with you on pretty much everything. It's why I post here instead of VolNation. Unfortunately most people aren't.

 

I also just don't think most people have quite come to terms with how much money UT and other programs are pulling in. Hell, half of them probably still think the university funds it.

If they really got that, some of them would probably think a little differently.

 

UT has the money to pay a coach 10 million a year if they wanted to. As absurd as that sum seems, a great coach would more than pay for themselves. It's an investment in the product that is UT football, nothing more nothing less.

 

Every single thing in this thread has been discussed ad nauseam over the past three years. Your beerpiphany is a dead horse so beaten that it's glue.

 

Sorry, I don't get on here much anymore. If it needs to be merged into a larger discussion, by all means merge it.
That being said, if you don't wanna read the thread then don't.

 

Don't mind him

 

This site is generally well aware that botch is the worst coach in the SEC. We probably led the way in that thinking.

 

This is one of the rare things that we all generally agree on.

 

Yeah, there's really no arguing on this topic. The only real disagreement is if Butch is 13th or 14th.

I will say, hiring one of the best defensive coordinators in the country gives his staff a boost

 

He's better than that.

 

This season will tell the tale.

 

No he isn't. He's potentially better than Dorrell. The coaching cost us at least 3 games last year. That's 1/3 of games and majority of our losses.

 

I think he's better than the guy at UK or the guy at Vandy, probably Muschamp. Who knows re: Smart. I'm not sure he's not at least equal to Bielema. That still puts him down the list.

 

How he beat Spurrier three in a row is beyond me. That is his one saving grace.

EDIT: I guess he only beat Spurrier twice. Did he quit before the UT game?

 

I'm not sure Butch is any better than Stoops. Muschamp is undefeated against Jones, including the time he brought a vastly inferior team into Neyland in '14 and kicked his ass.

 

I want to say he is, but the on field results say he's not very good.