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Butch Jones

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Butch Jones
Man in blue suit carrying an orange folder existing a small jet plane
Jones in 2014
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamArkansas State
ConferenceSun Belt
Record18–31
Biographical details
Born (1968-01-17) January 17, 1968 (age 56)
Saugatuck, Michigan, U.S.[1]
Playing career
1987–1989Ferris State
Position(s)Running back, wide receiver, cornerback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1987–1989Tampa Bay Buccaneers (intern)
1990–1992Rutgers (GA)
1993–1994Wilkes (OC)
1995Ferris State (RB)
1996–1997Ferris State (OC)
1998Central Michigan (TE)
1999Central Michigan (WR)
2000Central Michigan (RB)
2001–2003Central Michigan (OC)
2004Central Michigan (RB)
2005–2006West Virginia (WR)
2007–2009Central Michigan
2010–2012Cincinnati
2013–2017Tennessee
2018–2020Alabama (OA)
2021–presentArkansas State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2020Alabama (asst. to HC)
Head coaching record
Overall102–85
Bowls4–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 MAC (2007, 2009)
2 Big East (2011, 2012)
Awards
Big East Coach of the Year (2011)

Lyle Allen "Butch" Jones Jr. (born January 17, 1968) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach at Arkansas State University. Jones previously served as a special assistant to the head coach and offensive analyst at the University of Alabama from 2018 to 2020, the head coach at the University of Tennessee from 2013 to 2017, the University of Cincinnati from 2010 to 2012 and Central Michigan University from 2007 to 2009. A Michigan native, he played college football at Ferris State University as a running back and wide receiver.[2]

Coaching career

[edit]

Assistant coaching career

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From 1987 to 1989, Jones was an intern for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL), assisting the staff of head coach Ray Perkins.[3] Upon his graduation from Ferris State University in 1990, Jones joined the defensive staff of Rutgers as a graduate assistant. The new head coach of Rutgers at that time, Doug Graber, had previously worked as the defensive coordinator for the Buccaneers, and was familiar with Jones. [4] Two years later, Jones took a job as offensive coordinator at Wilkes University, helping to guide the team deep into the Division III playoffs.[5] In 1995, he returned to his alma mater, Ferris State, to serve in the offensive coordinator role. He led Ferris State to the top-ranked offense nationally for three straight years.[6]

In 1998, Jones arrived at Central Michigan, where he coached tight ends for one year, running backs for two more, and was the offensive playcaller from 2002 to 2004. Initially hired as an assistant by head coach Dick Flynn, he was retained by new CMU head coaches Mike DeBord in 2000, and Brian Kelly in 2004.[7][8] [9] He left the school in 2005 to work for Rich Rodriguez and coach wide receivers at West Virginia University, helping the school reach back-to-back top 10 seasons.[10]

In a 2013 interview with Cityview magazine in Knoxville, Jones listed Perkins, Graber, DeBord, Rodriguez, and Kelly as influences on his coaching career.[11]

Central Michigan

[edit]

Jones returned to Central Michigan as head coach in 2007. In his first year, he posted an 8–5 overall record and a 7–1 conference record.[12] Jones ended two streaks that had haunted his predecessors. On September 29, 2007, the Chippewas beat Northern Illinois University, which was the first win over Northern Illinois going back to 1998.[13] On November 6, 2007, CMU beat its chief rival, Western Michigan, at its home field of Waldo Stadium for the first time since 1993.[14] He guided CMU to the MAC title at Ford Field in Detroit against Miami (Ohio), and led the team to its second consecutive Motor City Bowl.[15] He was only the ninth football coach in Mid-American Conference history to win the championship in his first season. In 2008, a 31–24 loss to Ball State on November 19 derailed the Chippewas' MAC title hopes, but CMU earned a trip to a third consecutive Motor City Bowl.[16][17] In 2009, he guided the Chippewas to their third MAC Championship in four years after an 8–0 MAC schedule, the first time in school history the Chippewas went undefeated in the MAC.[18] CMU completed its run with a 20–10 win against Ohio in the MAC title game at Ford Field.[19] He left CMU with a 27–13 overall record and 20–3 MAC record. He did not win a bowl game during his time at Central Michigan, though his team won the 2009 bowl game against Troy, 44–41.[20]

Cincinnati

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On December 16, 2009, Jones was named as the head coach at the University of Cincinnati.[1] He replaced Brian Kelly, who left to become the head coach at Notre Dame.[21] Jones had previously replaced Kelly at Central Michigan.[22]

Jones led the Bearcats to records of 4–8 in 2010[23] and 10–3 in 2011,[24] including a Big East championship, a Liberty Bowl victory (31–24 over Vanderbilt),[25] and he was named Big East Coach of the Year. Also in 2011, Cincinnati was the only program to win both its conference championship as well as the league's team academic award.

He led the Bearcats to a 9–3 regular season record in 2012, leading them to the Belk Bowl in Charlotte to play against Duke University.[26] Twenty days prior to the bowl game, on December 7, 2012, Jones announced to the team that he would be resigning to accept the job as head coach at the University of Tennessee, after declining offers from Colorado, Purdue, and others.[27] He was required to pay $1.4 million to buy out his Cincinnati contract extension, signed on January 23, 2012, that went through the 2017 season.[28][29]

Tennessee

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On December 7, 2012, Jones was hired as the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers.[30]

Jones made his coaching debut on August 31, 2013, in Neyland Stadium against the FCS Austin Peay Governors, resulting in a 45–0 Tennessee victory.[31] Tennessee earned its 800th victory in program history and became only the eighth school in the nation to reach that plateau after Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Alabama.[32]

On October 19, 2013, in Neyland Stadium, Jones led the Vols to a win over No. 11 South Carolina Gamecocks.[33] This was widely considered Jones's first signature win. Jones's second signature win came on November 1, 2014, at Williams-Brice Stadium against the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Vols trailed 42–28 with less than five minutes remaining and came back to win 45–42 in overtime.[34]

With the youngest roster in the FBS in 2014, Jones and the Vols finished the season with a record of 6–6 with bowl eligibility–the best regular season record and the first bowl game appearance the team had since the 2010 season, which was a 6–7 finish.[35]

On January 2, 2015, Jones led Tennessee to their first bowl win since 2007, in the TaxSlayer Bowl.[36]

During the 2015 season, Jones's team finally defeated No. 19 Georgia after five straight losses to the team in their annual rivalry. In most of the first half, the Vols trailed 24–3, until Tennessee came back and put up 28 unanswered points late in the second quarter and all through the third quarter. The Vols won 38–31, giving Jones his third signature win.[37] To conclude the 2015 season, Jones's Vols defeated the Northwestern Wildcats by a score of 45–6 on January 1, 2016, in the Outback Bowl.[38]

In 2016, Jones led the Vols to another 9–4 campaign and second-place finish in the SEC East.[39] The season saw Tennessee snap rival Florida's 11-game winning streak over the Vols with a 38–28 victory on September 24.[40] The following week, the Vols defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in dramatic fashion via a game-ending Hail Mary pass by quarterback Joshua Dobbs.[41][42] Despite these wins, the Vols struggled down the stretch with losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt.[43][44] The season finished with a 38–24 victory over Nebraska in the 2016 Music City Bowl on December 30.[45] While the Volunteers did not win the SEC championship, a proud Jones stated of his senior class: ""They've won the biggest championship – that's the championship of life."[46]

In 2017, Jones's team saw a significant turnover of starting players, and the results were not positive. After a 42–41 2OT victory over Georgia Tech in the season opener and a 42–7 win over Indiana State, the season started to shift downward.[47][48] In the annual rivalry game against Florida, a last-second 26–20 loss on a game-winning Hail Mary from quarterback Feleipe Franks was a harbinger for the remaining conference games.[49] In the next game, in a hard-fought win over Massachusetts, the Volunteers struggled until the end of the game.[50] The next game, a 41–0 loss to #7 Georgia, was the worst shutout loss in Neyland Stadium history.[51] The Volunteers lost the next conference game, a lethargic 15–9 performance against South Carolina, to start 0–3 in the SEC.[52] The Vols' next game was a 45–7 loss to #1 Alabama, the 11th straight victory for the longtime rivals.[53] The Volunteers lost 29–26 to Kentucky in the next game for only the second time in the last 33 meetings between the two programs.[54]

Jones was fired from his position as head coach on November 12, 2017.[55] The decision came following a 50–17 loss to Missouri the previous day, which left Tennessee at a 4–6 record for the season and 0–6 in conference.[56] The Vols' loss to the Tigers was their worst loss to an unranked opponent in the AP Poll era.[57] He became the second coach in the SEC to be fired mid-season during 2017, after Jim McElwain had been fired from Florida two weeks prior.[58] His replacement was interim head coach Brady Hoke, who had worked as the assistant head coach and defensive line coach during the 2017 season.[59] Jeremy Pruitt was his permanent replacement.[60]

Alabama

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After his termination at the University of Tennessee, Jones was hired by the University of Alabama to be an offensive analyst for the football team.[61]

On December 10, 2018, it was reported that Jones agreed to join the Maryland Terrapins, under new head football coach Mike Locksley, as associate head coach and tight ends coach.[62] In mid-January 2019, it was reported that Jones would remain at Alabama.[63] Jones became the special assistant to the head coach in February 2020.[64]

Arkansas State

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On December 12, 2020, Jones was hired to become the 34th head coach at Arkansas State University, replacing Blake Anderson, who left Arkansas State to become the head coach at Utah State University.[65][66] In the 2021 season, Jones went 2–10.[67] The two wins for the Red Wolves marked the fewest in a single season since 2001.[68] In the 2022 season, Jones led the team to a 3–9 mark.[69] In the 2023 season, Jones led the team to a 6–6 regular season mark and a berth in the Camellia Bowl.[70] The Red Wolves lost to Northern Illinois 21–19 in the bowl game.[71]

Personal life

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Jones and his wife, Barb, have three sons.[1]

Head coaching record

[edit]
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Central Michigan Chippewas (Mid-American Conference) (2007–2009)
2007 Central Michigan 8–6 6–1 1st (West) L Motor City
2008 Central Michigan 8–5 6–2 T–2nd (West) L Motor City
2009 Central Michigan 11–2 8–0 1st (West) GMAC* 24 23
Central Michigan: 27–13 20–3 *resigned prior to bowl game
Cincinnati Bearcats (Big East Conference) (2010–2012)
2010 Cincinnati 4–8 2–5 7th
2011 Cincinnati 10–3 5–2 T–1st W Liberty 21 25
2012 Cincinnati 9–3 5–2 T–1st Belk* 22
Cincinnati: 23–14 12–9 *resigned prior to bowl game
Tennessee Volunteers (Southeastern Conference) (2013–2017)
2013 Tennessee 5–7 2–6 6th (Eastern)
2014 Tennessee 7–6 3–5 T–4th (Eastern) W TaxSlayer
2015 Tennessee 9–4 5–3 T–2nd (Eastern) W Outback 23 22
2016 Tennessee 9–4 4–4 T–2nd (Eastern) W Music City 24 22
2017 Tennessee 4–6[a] 0–6 (Eastern)
Tennessee: 34–27 14–24
Arkansas State Red Wolves (Sun Belt Conference) (2021–present)
2021 Arkansas State 2–10 1–7 5th (West)
2022 Arkansas State 3–9 1–7 7th (West)
2023 Arkansas State 6–7 4–4 T–2nd (West) L Camellia
2024 Arkansas State 7–5 5–3 T–2nd (West) 68 Ventures
Arkansas State: 18–31 11–21
Total: 102–85
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
  1. ^ Jones was fired by Tennessee prior to the LSU game.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Butch Jones Named UC Head Football Coach". www.gobearcats.com. University of Cincinnati. December 16, 2009. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019.
  2. ^ "The New Kids on the Block: Butch Jones". SBNation/Roll Bama Roll. March 6, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  3. ^ Parsons, Kelly (December 28, 2015). "Tennessee's Butch Jones credits Bucs with launching his career". TampaBay.com. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  4. ^ Sargeant, Keith (April 16, 2015). "Tennessee coach Butch Jones' Rutgers roots helped in recruitment of Jarrett Guarantano". NJ.com. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  5. ^ "Butch Jones looks back at his first job as a van driver". FOX Sports. August 14, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  6. ^ "From Big Rapids To The SEC: Ferris State Alum Butch Jones Named Tennessee Head Coach". Ferris State Bulldogs. December 7, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  7. ^ Megargee, Steve (February 13, 2015). "DeBord introduced by Vols: 'It's like riding a bike'". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  8. ^ "Kelly Completes Coaching Staff". Central Michigan University Athletics. January 23, 2004. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  9. ^ "Mountaineers WR coach new boss at Central Michigan". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 5, 2007. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  10. ^ "Butch Jones". Central Michigan Chippewas Athletics. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011.
  11. ^ Friedlander, Steven; Adams, Terry. "The Cityview Interview: Butch Jones" (PDF). Cityview – Knoxville's Premier Magazine. Cityview. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  12. ^ "2007 Central Michigan Chippewas Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  13. ^ "Northern Illinois at Central Michigan Box Score, September 29, 2007". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  14. ^ "Central Michigan at Western Michigan Box Score, November 6, 2007". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  15. ^ "Motor City Bowl – Purdue vs Central Michigan Box Score, December 26, 2007". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  16. ^ "Ball State at Central Michigan Box Score, November 19, 2008". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  17. ^ "Motor City Bowl – Florida Atlantic vs Central Michigan Box Score, December 26, 2008". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  18. ^ "2009 Central Michigan Chippewas Schedule and Results". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  19. ^ "Ohio vs Central Michigan Box Score, December 4, 2009". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  20. ^ "GMAC Bowl – Troy vs Central Michigan Box Score, January 6, 2010". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  21. ^ "Cincinnati goes back to C. Michigan, hires Jones". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 16, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  22. ^ Brown, Patrick (December 26, 2012). "Vols' Butch Jones disputes talk of riding on Brian Kelly's successes". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  23. ^ "2010 Cincinnati Bearcats Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  24. ^ "2012 Cincinnati Bearcats Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  25. ^ "Liberty Bowl – Vanderbilt vs Cincinnati Box Score, December 31, 2011". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  26. ^ "Belk Bowl – Duke vs Cincinnati Box Score, December 27, 2012". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  27. ^ "Butch Jones leaving Cincinnati to coach Tennessee". NFL.com. December 7, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  28. ^ Brown, Patrick (December 7, 2012). "Butch Jones hired as new Tennessee Volunteers coach". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  29. ^ "Butch Jones gets contract extension". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 24, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  30. ^ "BUTCH JONES NAMED VOLS' NEW HEAD COACH". University of Tennessee. December 7, 2012. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  31. ^ "Austin Peay vs. Tennessee – Game Recap – August 31, 2013 – ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  32. ^ Ragan, Zach (September 1, 2013). "Butch Jones Texted Peyton Manning After Vols 800th Win". All for Tennessee. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  33. ^ "South Carolina at Tennessee Box Score, October 19, 2013". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  34. ^ "Tennessee at South Carolina Box Score, November 1, 2014". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  35. ^ "2014 Tennessee Volunteers Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  36. ^ Provost-Heron, Troy (January 8, 2015). "Vols look to build off emphatic Taxslayer Bowl victory". The Daily Beacon. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  37. ^ "Georgia at Tennessee Box Score, October 10, 2015". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  38. ^ "Outback Bowl – Northwestern vs Tennessee Box Score, January 1, 2016". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  39. ^ "2016 Tennessee Volunteers Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  40. ^ "Florida at Tennessee Box Score, September 24, 2016". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  41. ^ Strange, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Hail yes: Vols beat Georgia in final seconds, 34–31". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  42. ^ "Tennessee at Georgia Box Score, October 1, 2016". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  43. ^ "Tennessee at South Carolina Box Score, October 29, 2016". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  44. ^ "Tennessee at Vanderbilt Box Score, November 26, 2016". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  45. ^ "Music City Bowl – Nebraska vs Tennessee Box Score, December 30, 2016". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  46. ^ "Butch Jones says seniors have won the 'championship of life'". ESPN.com. November 21, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  47. ^ "Tennessee vs Georgia Tech Box Score, September 4, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  48. ^ "Indiana State at Tennessee Box Score, September 9, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  49. ^ "Tennessee at Florida Box Score, September 16, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  50. ^ "Massachusetts at Tennessee Box Score, September 23, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  51. ^ "Georgia at Tennessee Box Score, September 30, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  52. ^ "South Carolina at Tennessee Box Score, October 14, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  53. ^ "Tennessee at Alabama Box Score, October 21, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  54. ^ "Tennessee at Kentucky Box Score, October 28, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  55. ^ Low, Chris (November 12, 2017). "Tennessee fires coach Butch Jones after blowout loss at Missouri". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  56. ^ "Tennessee at Missouri Box Score, November 11, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  57. ^ Murray, Patrick (November 12, 2017). "Jones' accomplishments and failures at Tennessee". wbir.com. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  58. ^ Adams, John (October 31, 2017). "Finishing behind Florida again further frustrates Tennessee fan base". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  59. ^ Wilson, Mike (November 12, 2017). "Brady Hoke in as Vols interim head coach". USA Today. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  60. ^ Megargee, Steve (December 7, 2017). "Tennessee hires Jeremy Pruitt, capping off a tumultuous coaching search". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  61. ^ Toppmeyer, Blake (March 29, 2018). "Former Tennessee Vols coach Butch Jones will make $35K as Alabama analyst". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  62. ^ Sallee, Barrett (December 11, 2018). "Report: Butch Jones leaving Alabama to join Maryland coaching staff under Mike Locksley". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  63. ^ Toppmeyer, Blake (January 16, 2019). "Butch Jones will remain at Alabama with Nick Saban, per reports". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  64. ^ Toppmeyer, Blake (February 20, 2020). "Butch Jones earns new job title at Alabama; he's now Nick Saban's special assistant". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  65. ^ Low, Chris (December 12, 2020). "Butch Jones named Arkansas State football coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  66. ^ Lederman, Eli (December 12, 2020). "ASU announces Butch Jones as new head coach". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  67. ^ "2021 Arkansas State Red Wolves Schedule and Results". Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  68. ^ "Arkansas State Red Wolves College Football History, Stats, Records". Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  69. ^ "2022 Arkansas State Red Wolves Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  70. ^ "2023 Arkansas State Red Wolves Schedule and Results". Sports Reference. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  71. ^ "Camellia Bowl – Arkansas State vs Northern Illinois Box Score, December 23, 2023". Sports Reference. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
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