KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 09: Head coach Butch Jones of the Tennessee Volunteers waits to lead his team on to the field prior to the game against the Indiana State Sycamores at Neyland Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Vols Football: Is Tennessee Settling If They Stick With Butch Jones? by Zach Ragan

Tennessee Vols head coach Butch Jones certainly has a way with words.

Tennessee Vols head coach Butch Jones could do himself a lot of favors by changing his approach to interviews and press conferences.

The national media has destroyed Jones over the last couple of years for the crazy things that seem to tumble out of his mouth on a regular basis.

Champions of life, five star hearts and even fake news are all phrases that Jones probably regrets (I hope he does at least).

His latest puzzling quote, Wednesday evening on the 104.5 the Zone in Nashville, isn’t as noteworthy, but it’s still just as absurd.

Jones, as he so frequently does, felt the need to defend his accomplishments as the head coach at Tennessee. With his insecurities on full display, Jones told the hosts, presumably with a straight face, that the last two years of Tennessee football have been some of the best in the last 20 years.

Here’s the exact quote:

Jones: “These last two years have been some of the best years in the last 20 years of Tennessee football.”

Umm say what?

20 years ago the Vols went 11-2 with Peyton Manning as their quarterback. 19 years ago they went undefeated. 16 years ago they were a game away from the national championship. 12 years ago they beat Alabama, Georgia and Florida in the same season. 10 years ago they won the SEC East. In 2009, they were a blocked field goal away from beating one of the best Alabama teams ever.

In the last two years, the Vols have beat Georgia twice and they beat Florida.

And that’s about it.

They skated by Appalachian State, Ohio and UMass. And they suffered their worst loss to Alabama SINCE 1906!

So please tell me how the last two years have been some of the best years of Tennessee football in the last 20 years.

In the last 10 years? Sure, I’ll go with that. But there’s no need to embellish, Butch. In fact, there’s no need to list your accomplishments at all. We all have the internet, and we examine Tennessee football on a daily basis. We know what you’ve done. And we most certainly know what you haven’t done.

How about this, if you stop talking about what you’ve accomplished, Butch, we’ll stop talking about what you haven’t accomplished.

Fair enough?