Tennessee Volunteers

Another Reason the Tennessee Vols Should Keep Butch Jones: The List of Available Replacement Coaches Will be Better Next Year

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Nov 5, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the first quarter against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Volunteers should keep Tennessee football head coach Butch Jones for another year because the list of available coaches will be better in 2017.

Yes, the talk all week surrounding the Tennessee Vols has been whether or not Butch Jones should be fired. After an unacceptable loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores, the team is 8-4 for a second straight year, showing no signs of progress from 2015.

However, one down year can be a bit of an overreaction that is all too common in college football.

Sure, for the first time in four years, Jones failed to meet expectations in a season as head coach of the Vols. In a rebuilding process, though, that shouldn’t warrant a firing.

We have already laid out here the case for Butch Jones to keep his job. And they are based on his own credentials and what he’s done with the Tennessee football program.

But there’s another huge reason that Jones should keep his job, and it involves the list of available coaching candidates.

This year, if Tennessee fires Jones, the list of candidates is not proven enough or unavailable at this time.

However, if they give him another year, that’s one more chance for him to prove himself. And if he doesn’t work out, we project the Vols will have a much better list of candidates to choose from than they have right now.

If you look at the reasons we published for keeping Jones, we used a lot of information about the stock market. Part of being a successful investor is projecting the future worth of other assets as well.

In this case, the Vols should use their projections of the coaching candidates available in 2017. They are likely to be much better this year. In fact, let’s take a look at them here.

In this post, we’ll take a look at 10 candidates that the Vols might be able to choose from if they just wait a year before making a decision on Jones.

Before we start, however, we’re eliminating Mike Norvell and Art Briles. Briles can’t come with the Vols just getting over a sexual assault lawsuit, and if they do fire Jones, the last thing they’ll do is hire another coach who took over a mid-major program that was successful before he got there.

So eliminating those two options, here are the 10 coaching candidates that the Vols will have a shot at in 2017 that they wouldn’t have this year if they fired Jones.

Nov 26, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; South Florida Bulls head coach Willie Taggart reacts against the UCF Knights during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Willie Taggart

Head Coach, South Florida Bulls

Well this one’s ironic considering the fact John Jancek came to South Florida after Butch Jones fired him. But regardless of whether or not he deserves credit for helping the program turn around this year, Willie Taggart has overseen a major restoration of this Florida school.

After replacing Skip Holtz, he went from 2-10 to 4-8 to 8-5 to 10-2. His rebuilding project there is similar to what Justin Fuente did at Memphis.

However, this 10-2 season on its own is not enough of a body of work to hire him off of and especially have him replace Jones.

Most people know that, so he likely won’t get a major job this year. If Tennessee does fire Jones next year, they’ll have a much better read on Taggart and just how good of a coach he is.

He’s already mostly a proven winner considering the fact that he turned around the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers before heading to South Florida.

But he has not proven himself to be able to win big consistently just yet. One more 10-win season, or maybe a 12-win season, will change that.

If he does get hired away after this season, though, it’s no problem for the Vols. There will be other candidates in 2017. Let’s go to another potential one.

Nov 18, 2015; DeKalb, IL, USA; Western Michigan Broncos head coach P.J. Fleck during the second quarter against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Huskie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

P.J. Fleck

Head Coach, Western Michigan Broncos

P.J. Fleck is a much more likely candidate to get a head coaching job than Willie Taggart because what he has done at Western Michigan is nothing short of remarkable.

To turn the program around after going 1-11 his first year and then going 8-5 in back to back years before going 12-0 this year is extremely impressive. That 12-0 record is a lot to sell.

However, at this point, Fleck’s resume is not much better than Taggart’s. In fact, you could make a case that it’s worse. If the Vols fired Butch Jones and took a look at Fleck this year, all they would have for a resume is one great season in arguably the worst division in FBS.

They would need more.

Fleck would be a much better candidate next year, and Tennessee would have a better read on him, if he did this again. However, if they were to fire Jones this year and make the leap for Fleck, you have no idea what you’d be getting.

Now, like Taggart, there’s a chance that somebody will go ahead and hire Fleck away after this year. Vols fans may then feel like they missed an opportunity.

But if they’re serious about firing Jones, they need to have a guy with a more proven track record than one big winning season in a pathetic conference.

Oct 28, 2015; Chandler

Jim Bob Cooter

Offensive Coordinator, Detroit Lions

Yes, we’re going the coordinator route here. This may be a crazy one in the minds of many, but just hold on for a second.

Jim Bob Cooter was a walk-on third string quarterback for the Vols in the mid-2000s. He was constantly a running joke. But after leaving college, he became a coach and has now carried that into being a very successful offensive coordinator in the NFL.

Take a look at what he’s done with Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions this year. It’s been incredible, particularly in the absence of Calvin Johnson.

In all likelihood, Cooter will not get a head coaching job after this year. So he’ll have another year to beef up his resume as an offensive coordinator, and if the Vols fire Butch Jones next year, Cooter could be a surprise fit.

He would not just be a Tennessee guy, but he’d be a high profile X’s and O’s guy. The last coach the Vols had of that caliber was Lane Kiffin, and he obviously bolted after a year.

Cooter would likely not leave his alma mater after a year once they brought him back to coach. In fact, as I’m writing this, about the only downside would be the fact that he’s not a proven recruiter.

But he could get a staff for that. It’s also hard to know if mid-major coaches are good recruiters. So you’re always taking a chance there.

Sep 17, 2016; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Troy Trojans head coach Neal Brown on the sidelines in the first quarter against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Neal Brown

Head Coach, Troy Trojans

Willie Taggart and P.J. Fleck are much more qualified than the next two guys we are about to name on the list, but we put them at the bottom since there’s a chance both could be gone after this year.

Meanwhile, Neal Brown is a coaching prospect on the rise.

He turned the Troy Trojans around in just two years, taking them to 9-2 in 2016. Now his track record from 4-8 to 9-2 as a head coach is nowhere near the level of qualifications it needs to be at if a big school like Tennessee hires him.

However, next year, they’ll be able to have a much better read on him. What if he goes undefeated with the Trojans? Then, the Vols have a great option if they fire Butch Jones.

Brown will not only be a proven winner, he will have a proven track record as an offensive coach serving as an offensive coordinator at Texas Tech and Kentucky.

On top of that, he already is a proven recruited. Look at the Top 25 class Mark Stoops secured in 2014. Brown was arguably the biggest reason for that.

So you will have a proven recruiter, and if you just wait, you will know if he is a proven winner. But he and the next guy are proof there is no reason to jump the gun on things yet.

Nov 12, 2016; Annapolis, MD, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane head coach Philip Montgomery on the sidelines against the Navy Midshipmen during the first half at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Philip Montgomery

Head Coach, Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Want to bring an entertaining high-profile offense to Knoxville? Philip Montgomery is your guy.

An Art Briles disciple without the Art Briles baggage, Montgomery was a crucial reason for the success Briles enjoyed throughout his coaching career. His track record includes developing Kevin Kolb, Case Keenum, Robert Griffin III, Bryce Petty, and even Seth Russell.

Montgomery is also a proven recruiter with connections throughout the Texas area after working at Houston and Baylor.

He took his offensive genius to Tulsa, and in two years with the Golden Hurricane he went 6-7 and then 9-3 this year. The previous two years, the school had gone 2-10 and 3-9.

So he already is a proven winner, but he’s not yet proven enough to win at Tennessee. As a result, this is another guy who gives the Vols reason to wait a year before firing Butch Jones.

If Montgomery takes winning to the next level with a huge season in 2017, then they will know whether or not to keep him on or off this list if they fire Jones.

However, if they were to do that this year, his only credentials as a candidate with coaching experience would be one winning season in two years.

It’s not enough. If you wait a year, you have a chance at a foolproof hire.

Oct 15, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin looks on during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Lane Kiffin

Offensive Coordinator, Alabama Crimson Tide

And here we go with the crazy ones again. Clay Travis has already laid out the reasons why Lane Kiffin should be a head coaching candidate for the Vols, and he is dead right.

Kiffin is a proven offensive genius, a proven recruiter, and honestly, a proven winner as a head coach in college who got a raw deal at USC. Oh, and his resume of mentors now includes Pete Carroll, Jeff Tedford, Pat Hill, Monte Kiffin, and Nick Saban.

But more than all of that, he is much smarter and more mature now than he was when Tennessee first hired him.

Who cares if he already bolted the Vols before? Bobby Petrino once bolted Louisville. Think the Cardinals cared about that when they brought him back?

Kiffin is a high-profile head coaching candidate already with all of these credentials. However, all signs point to the fact that he won’t be hired this year. He appears headed to the LSU Tigers to coach under Ed Orgeron for a year.

If that’s the case, he has an even better chance to beef up his resume. While that happens, the Vols will be able to evaluate Butch Jones in his fifth year with the program. That will be enough of a track record, and if they do fire him, Kiffin will have an even better resume.

Wouldn’t that be an amazing splash to bring him back? If they are patient with Jones, they have that chance.

Sep 12, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans receivers coach Tee Martin during the game against the Idaho Vandals at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Tee Martin

Offensive Coordinator, USC Trojans

Ironically, we move from Lane Kiffin to a Lane Kiffin protege. Tee Martin spurned Butch Jones and the Vols back in 2012 when he was offered an assistant head coaching job.

Since that time, the USC Trojans have been through three head coaches, but all decided to keep Martin on the staff. That says something about him right there.

Martin is also a proven recruiter as well and may be the top recruiting assistant in the country.

He also means a lot to the school considering he quarterbacked the national championship team in 1998. So him coming home would be amazing.

But beyond all of that, Martin’s resume is about to be amazing if you just give him one more year. In his first year as offensive coordinator, Martin learned on the fly. And down the stretch, he directed a USC offense that began dominating everybody and is on a roll. They are close to getting into a New Year’s Six bowl game.

If Martin can keep that momentum next year and even improve on the offense, he’ll be the hottest commodity among all assistants for a head coaching job.

Tennessee should be hesitant to hire assistant coaches, but like Jim Bob Cooter, Martin, a Tennessee alum, would be a huge exception. He will have proven everything else if he keeps this up.

And waiting a year gives the Vols a chance to truly find out if Jones is worth keeping and if Martin can coach. It’s a huge win/win.

Nov 26, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen carries the Egg Bowl trophy after the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mississippi State won 55-20 Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Mullen

Head Coach, Mississippi State Bulldogs

Now we move onto the top tier of head football coaches. If Tennessee gives Butch Jones one more year to see if he can coach, Dan Mullen will be a hot commodity on the market next year.

Because his Mississippi State Bulldogs went 5-7 this year, his stock fell a lot. But his worth is way more than what people are valuing him at. This was a rebuilding year.

Next year, the Bulldogs will return to prominence with Nick Fitzgerald. And Tennessee, should Jones not work out, would be able to sweep in and steal Mullen away.

To some, this idea might be crazy, but Mullen is probably not happy with the Bulldogs fan base turning against him because of one bad year. He has taken the program to unprecedented heights in its recent history.

Calls to fire him because of one rough year are embarrassing for the school.

Mullen is a proven winner and knows how to turn quarterbacks into elite players. He has maxed out the ceiling at Mississippi State, particularly with the SEC West the way it is right now.

Knowing that, he may want something greater. Tennessee would be that something greater.

Remember, Mullen worked with Meyer in helping him devise the spread offense that is so popular when the two were at Notre Dame in 1999 and 2000. He is an offensive genius too.

And he’ll definitely be on the market next year.

Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly walks the sideline during the second half against Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Chip Kelly

Head Coach, San Francisco 49ers

There are three home run hires that major college football programs have made over the past 10 years. The first was when the Alabama Crimson Tide hired Nick Saban in 2006.

The next one came in 2011 when the Ohio State Buckeyes hired Urban Meyer.

And the final one came in 2014 when the Michigan Wolverines hired Jim Harbaugh. Like Harbaugh, Chip Kelly is a coach with a proven track record of winning in the NFL and winning huge in college.

He is a sure bet to be successful wherever he goes in college. And if the Vols wait a year with Butch Jones, they’ll have a chance at him.

Should Jones be fired, Kelly will likely be on the market at the same time. He is going to stay another year with the San Francisco 49ers, and that atrocity of a franchise that ran Harbaugh out of town will blame him for its failure to win on the field.

So they’ll force Kelly out of town.

And a coaching genius will be on the market for Tennessee to take. Even if Butch Jones is a dead man walking in 2017, Kelly’s eventual availability alone is reason enough to wait to fire him. It’s just so clear that he’s not going to work out at San Francisco.

So there is no reason for Tennessee to jump the gun too early.

Nov 17, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Bobby Petrino shouts during the second quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Bobby Petrino

Head Coach, Louisville Cardinals

Yes, this is the final coach who will be available in 2017. Bobby Petrino will not leave the Louisville Cardinals for anybody next year.

With the Clemson Tigers losing Deshaun Watson and the Florida State Seminoles facing an uncertain future, the ACC could be his. He has Lamar Jackson for another year, and if you thought this year was impressive, wait and see what he could do in a third year.

Petrino knows he can develop quarterbacks and improve them better than anybody, and they always tend to tank after him. See Brian Brohm and Tyler Wilson.

Knowing all this, he’s not going to leave an amazing situation to win a championship next year. But after that, the Cardinals will be in trouble.

They’ll fall back into rebuilding mode, and the Tigers and Seminoles will be perfectly positioned in 2018 and 2019 to push them back to third in that division. Add what Justin Fuente’s going to do on the other side with the Virginia Tech Hokies, and he could be in for a rough ride.

He’ll still be competitive as a genius coach, and he’ll still field championship caliber teams every three years. But by this point, he’ll be 57, and that cycle at Louisville will make a national championship in his career that much harder to win.

So after Jackson leaves in 2017, many major programs will have a chance at luring him away. And should Tennessee fire Butch Jones, they’ll be the perfect program to hire him.

The SEC East is littered with terrible coaches who can’t recruit right now. Petrino would easily come in and coach head and shoulders above all of them.

On top of that, he’d be at the first school ever where he could successfully recruit, and he could match Nick Saban in wits.

With all of this in mind, why would Tennessee jump the gun on Butch Jones this year? He has not done enough to be fired yet.

And he deserves another year to prove whether or not he could be a championship coach. Then, if he doesn’t work out in 2017, the Vols have will have a huge selection of available, proven, elite coaches to pick from.

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