“Too many times we were in second-and-12, second-and-14. You’re not going to be able to move the ball effectively and efficiently when you’re behind the sticks like that,” Jones said. Perhaps he thinks that a 2 yard gain is 4-6 yards better than we normally average.
Using Griffith to talk about how Manning supports him and Georgia’s potentially best team ever is coming to town. Both are morons.
Aww, come on boys, it's all Ball Bearings these days... It's called puttin' 'em right where you want 'em. Damn
How did we end up with this guy? He's never been a part of a big time program. His most illustrious stop is a couple years coaching WRs at West Virginia. I think that might actually be part of the problem. He might be legitimately surprised his pathetic record isn't pleasing everyone. I also wouldn't be surprised if Dave Hart led him to believe this level of accomplishment would have him set for life. I always thought he was a coordinator under Brian Kelly, but no. He was OC at Central Michigan when Kelly was hired. Kelly demoted him to RB coach. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. And what has been his single successful endeavor as HC here? Recruiting. But he had no prior history of being a great recruiter so we can't point to that as a reason for hiring him. Five years later and I'm still blown away that we ended up with this loser. Even more confounded by the fact that 99% of us not only bought his schtick hook, line, and sinker, but wanted to string up anyone that dared question his Brickness. What the hell happened here?
This is a great post, and an entirely valid question. I'd say that the answers to these questions would illuminate all that has been, and may still be, wrong at Tennessee.
He was the perfect yes man for Hart and cheek. I bet his seat wouldn't even be hot right now if hart was still here.
I'd also add that his hiring is even more curious - exponentially more - when considering it in the context of being made after (at least) three failing Fulmer years, Kiffin's midnight departure after one season, and three years of [ddiapos]. If there was ever a more clear and desperate need to hire an unquestionably great coach, it was then, when we landed on Butch Jones. It's tough to take the full measure of the damage these last 10 years have done to our program, and that it is entirely self-inflicted throug a string of increasingly risky and outright stupid decisions, is truly mind-boggling.
That's not the answer. There's no leadership or direction and the academic side of the university wants just enough success to bring in the money but not to be the main focus. They're not conflicting parts though if someone in a position of power could bring them together and both sides would be way better off.
I think Hart was borderline desperate after the Charlie Strong fiasco. And FWIW, Strong would have been a better hire than Butch.
I think the hiring process we used at the time was completely backwards. I think Hart (or some go between search firm) called Jimmy Sexton and said, "We've got $3MM/year to spend on a coach. Who can we get for that?" Sexton asks 4 questions about perks and control and staff, then makes a list. Hart calls first name on the list. Charlie Strong says yes but his wife says no. Hart marks off Charlie Strong. Calls second name on list. Butch Jones cancels flight to Boulder.
Thing is, there's nothing wrong with a "big play" offensive philosophy. You recruit to it, and you scheme to it, and gameplan around it. Surrier always had that, at SC and especially Florida. You'd stop those ****ers on 1st and 2nd down and they'd pop you for 30 on some deep crossing route on 3rd about 5 times a game. But we don't do that. We run zone read and dink and dunk and lateral passing and pray that all the bad guys will fall down trying to tackle us. It's why Dobbs worked, and Hurd, and Kamara, especially against undisciplined teams and slow, unathletic big 10 defenses. And it's why these receivers are so inconsistent and underperforming, and why we haven't been able to beat much of anybody who is actually good. In short, we have no philosophy, other than try to get it to somebody so talented and athletic that they can bail us out of not having any philosophy.
The big money no whammy. Was calling out his random grab bag play calling and hoping that we just go athlete the other team. Spurrier built his program around four verticals and draws. He was amazing at teaching four verticals.
