ATLANTA — Tennessee’s loss to Florida last season proved to be the Vols’ biggest disappointment in a 7-6 season that otherwise represented an encouraging step forward for their program.

It was difficult for everyone involved —Â and particularly for UT coach Butch Jones.

Jones said Tuesday night during Tennessee’s Big Orange Caravan stop at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta that the Vols’ 10-9 loss to the Gators,Â a game UT led 9-0 at the start of the fourth quarter, “was probably the lowest moment I’ve ever had in my career.”

He was discussing the expectations that the Vols are carrying into their third season under Jones’ staff when he decided to use Tennessee’s 10th consecutive loss to Florida as an example of the adversity his team was able to overcome last year.

“Praise and blame, it’s all the same,” Jones said, referring to the offseason hype currently surrounding the Vols’ program. “We just have to continue to work to be a better football program minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day. And if you do that and keep working, you’ll be rewarded.

“It’s like last year, when we laid it out, the South Carolina game was really the culmination of really learning how to win. But I think the changing point was the Florida game, because obviously it was extremely disappointing for all involved. It was probably the lowest moment I’ve ever had in my career, and I had to put my tie on and go home and have 12 individuals at my house for an official visit.

“But our players, our young football team could have listened to all the clutter and distraction out there, and they didn’t listen to any of the noises. I knew if we could cross that hurdle, that would make us a better football team by the end of the season. And you go 4-1, you win a bowl game — a great bowl game, a New Year’s Day bowl game, so to speak — and it propels you.

“But we just have to keep working, and we can’t worry about that. And these kids, that’s what they’ve done. They’ve shown a work ethic each and every day —Â never been too high, never been too low. We talk about consistency in performance every day, and they’re great every day.”

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