Tennessee coach Butch Jones said the Vols football program is on run of “momentum” that will cause the rest of the college football world to take notice.
Perhaps alluding to a recent run of success on the recruiting trail, or the good feelings that coincided with the start of spring practice on Saturday, Jones said the sleeping giant of UT football was about to wake up.
"I think people around the country understand what we have here,” Jones said after practice Tuesday morning. “They’ve been waiting for Tennessee to wake up. And now we’re waking up.”
Jones said he told his team the first “real football” practice begins on Thursday, when Tennessee practices for the first time in full pads.
A situational scrimmage is tentatively scheduled for Saturday.
“We have a long way to go and I’m very impatient,” Jones said. “We have to come out Thursday with a great sense of urgency.”
Tennessee practiced indoors on Tuesday to avoid tearing up the wet outdoor grass fields. Find practice observations from the second day here, and visit GoVolsXtra for post-practice interviews with Jones players later this afternoon.
Evan Woodbery covers Tennessee football. Follow him at www.Twitter.com/TennesseeBeat.
Oregon sends Lady Vols home from…
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Comments » 81
volnbig11land writes:
I like the attitude!
Go Vols!
gerwmor writes:
I am increasingly excited about where the program is going and where it can be in 3 years. The one thing, the only thing, I will give Kiffen is he seemed to understand UT tradition when he embraced Coach Majors. Obviously could not do that with Fulmer under the circumstances of his hiring. I am thrilled to hear that Coach Majors was at practice, was embraced by the former and current players, and that Coach Jones gets it, what it means to be UT. The Vol future can only thrive built on the tradition of the past. And CBJ does understand this basic truth. Damn it is good to be a Vol!
CoverOrange writes:
Climb Mount Niitaki, first.
RockyToptoNeyland writes:
you know what im tired of hearing..."we have a long way to go" every coach since fulmer has said that literally at every practice, when do we have a short way to go? never?
StoneJackBaller writes:
We got the right man.
FWBVol writes:
The only way Kiffin might have embraced Tennessee traditions was by extending a welcoming hand to Johnny Majors. Everything else he did was a slap in the face of everything that has made the Tennessee football program one of the best in the nation.
Kiffin wouldn't even recite the General's maxims before the game with the team. Kiffin was more interested in making Tennessee the Southern Cal of the East than he was building on what is the Volunteer Tradition.
Yes, at first I was deceived and bought into Kiffin's song and dance, but Derek Dooley respected the Tennessee brand far more than Kiffin ever did or will.
gerwmor writes:
I agree with you which is why I said "only thing" and "seemed." And what is really justice is that what Kiffen was supposed to have had was the Xs and Os gift--not. He has top flight recruits at USC and still is a loser--in every sense of the word.
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Coach Jones will wake up when the first SEC game is played.
We can block.
Question is can we
-tackle
-catch
-run
-pass
-punt
-kick
Lot of "opportunities to excel."
Henley-Street-Bridge writes:
I think they should rather climb Mt. Leconte again this year ala Dooley but this time, walk up there backwards carrying heavy packs.
budd#207344 writes:
Glad to hear the enthusiasm of the head coach. This is a junior and senior laden team. There is talent on this team. If Jones and his coaches can truly coach then there will be joy in Knoxville again. But that is the million dollar question. Can these guys coach them up?
notfunanymore writes:
You have got to be kidding me?? A few practices and Jones is already spewing out ridiculous comments. The players should be full of momentum and enthusiasm. Jones' quote sounds awfully similar to Dooley's "Not going to have Tennessee to push around anymore." I am sure the college football world is very concerned. More like laughing their arses off. Once again, UT has hired a coach that will keep the football program under "laughing stock" status.
Geofffourmyle writes:
He even dresses better than the maladroit Dooley.
Walt
UT '81
whatthe84 writes:
As they say pump your brakes, slow your roll germy we have only ha two practices in shorts and helmets. The first game is a long way off and don't poison the water in the well too soon for CBJ. Let him have his time to build the program. Some don't want to admit it or even consider it but the program is nowhere near where it was in the good ole days. We are short in almost every area with numbers and talent. I like what I am seeing from CBJ but everyone on here was throwing roses on CDD when he first arrived and we all know how that turned out. Pull back on the reins and keep it at a slow trot let this thing develop without any undue pressure there is already enough without ramping up expectations like "damn its good to be a vol" lets see how we feel in November. I know its good to be a vol I get it but it sure is better when we are winning. Just saying!
CantStandCantStandSaban writes:
You tell 'em coach...the SEC won't have Tennessee to kick around anymore, right? right?
...crickets.
PennyLane123 writes:
No coach will ever come out and declare to the world that his / her team is at their best. Because no team ever is. That's why teams practice. I like this guy. He does see Tennessee as a great place to be. I feel he gets it.
PennyLane123 writes:
What the hell do you want from this guy? He is a football coach. He has a very good job at a very good school. He is doing his job. Getting his player to listen to him and worry if you like him. Get real.
SummittsCourt writes:
Just come back and don't change your name when the Vols start winning again.
PS - you are an idiot!
CrankE writes:
Exactly what I was thinking.
dantzknox writes:
UT football coaches are always full of optimisim in April. Yes, the rest of the SEC IS taking notice - Coach Jones idiotic proclamation will be posted on the lockerrooms of all out opponents to fire them up. He needs to shut up and coach our team until the 'momentum' actually carries us somewhere.
PennyLane123 writes:
Yep, you're right. He should not say anything....just like you. Seriously, he can talk all he wants, say what he wants and coach how he wants. That is why he is at Tennessee, coaching the Vols and you get to be pissed because you didn't get offered the job. Good luck with that advice you are giving Tennessee's Head Football coach there Champ!
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
For those trashing Dooley on last year..
Get ####-ing real.
Last year's team was one of the great offenses we've ever had, and was within a few plays of a 9-10 win season.
I cannot fault Dooley for being optimistic pre-season. They pushed around every team EXCEPT Bama, and that included a very good UGA team that was within a play of being NC's themselves. Yes, UT gave up by vandy....yet another season a team gave up on Dooley.
Yes, Dooley turned out to be an unlucky "woulda coulda shoulda" guy....but this constant belittling sniping is pretty stupid. WE'll be damned fortunate to see ANY entertainment value for the next 2-3 seasons from Jone's bunch, is my estimation.
rb4346 writes:
The comments are ridiculous only to you, CBJ is going to have you eating a lot of your words, you troll. You need to have the person who woke you up to give you another sleeping pill so you can go back to sleep. Comparing Dooley to CBJ is like comparing you to someoe who has a brain. !!! GBO !!!
gerwmor writes:
Which is why I said in three years. But giving this guy time is not like giving it to the previous coach, for the reasons I noted.
UTKin1992 writes:
I don't know about "momentum", but I do know Jones is bringing on some good athletes. He sure seems to be a genuine football guy and I like it! More! More! More!
Hound_Dog69 writes:
laughing stock status is you in the locker room with your tiny johnson hanging out comparing it to the rest of the team and coming up short! LMAO!!!!
pingkr62 writes:
How about 40 sleeping pills. Anyway, I am willing to bet that our trolls of today will be wagon jumpers this fall. G.B.O.!!!
pingkr62 writes:
Too small to hang! I bet we both get kicked off for these "offensive" statements. G.B.O.!!!
senracjr writes:
What a lot of you pin heads don't realize is CBJ is no Dooley! He has been a proven winner where ever he coached, Dooley was not!
senracjr writes:
But Tennessee will have Kentucky to kick around!
jt45 writes:
Coach Jones is correct, the vols are gaining momentum in many areas. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to see he has improved the Vols image by leaps and bounds among former players and now we are starting to some of these kids taking notice and signing early. As far as some of you whining about his enthusiasm after practice please do yourself a favor and take up Bowling or badminton or just go watch CNN.
Mrlogic writes:
I would not bet on that if I were you because I think that you will lose. I have been around the block a few times and I know a workaholic when I see one. Any workaholic that I have ever seen has been very successful. There are exceptions to the rule but I think Butch Jones is going to be very hard to beat. Anyone that loves what he is doing as much as he does I don't think it is smart to bet against him.
usafvol writes:
Great reply!
KnoxVegas88 writes:
ESPN is reporting that CBJ just sent them a press release stating the he really does not think UT will win more than 5 games this year. Furthermore, he is cancelling the rest of spring practice and the O&W game as there really is no need to try to get better. Coach Jones says he will try again in 2014.
Now...do you feel better, Nancy?
KnoxVegas88 writes:
Wow Barbara....I wondered where you've been since your little baby boy got canned. Suck it up Babs. Maybe Derrick will slide some of that $5 million he stole from UT into your bank account.
The weather is getting nice....why don't you take a ####-ing hike?
ACWLY writes:
I really like this guy, whats wrong with a little enthusiasm?
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Is there anybody else out there that would enjoy reading 10 or 15 consecutive posts which do not refer to Dooley or Fulmer?
That is ancient history - lets stick with current events, please!
BruisedOrange writes:
What Woodbery said Coach said:
...the Vols football program is on run of “momentum” that will cause the rest of the college football world to take notice.
Coach's actual words:
"I think people around the country understand what we have here. They’ve been waiting for Tennessee to wake up. And now we’re waking up."
Are there ANY QUOTES by Jones in the story above that would cause anyone alarm? Yeah. I didn't think so.
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Hit a nerve??
Sucks to be you, I guess. If you want to post, try to learn the game.
Or not.
Don't really care.
KnoxVegas88 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Sounds like you're a mental case.
Get help.
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
@bruised
They (people around the country) look at UT like they do Nebraska, or Michigan: used to be good, fell off the map.
Kind of like some other guy said, though, that's happened to Bama (years between STallings and Saban) and UGA (years between Dooley Sr and Richt).
Jones has a good opportunity, but a tough one as well.
PennyLane123 writes:
I like Coach speaking up. Our Vols need it. Coach will get them ready. We just need to support Coach and our Vols. Better times are coming. Just needed to get a leader in place that can gain their respect and start them on the right path. We will hit bumps, but is that not life? Just hang with them, defend them and show your support.
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
@penny
What I think you might see....
remember Kiffin's year? You know, Crompton's last??
I think you will see a Tenn team that tries to slow the game and rest the defense. A lot of emphasis on the run, and short passes, not much downfield.
We'll see.
KnoxVegas88 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Seriously, get help.
start here:
http://tn.gov/mental/mental_health_se...
They also offer substance abuse help.
You've got issues way beyond what should be on a football chat board.
KnoxVegas88 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Get help.
I'm suspecting you are an ICE addict.
Normal people don't go on chatboards trying to set up fights on the Strip or anywhere else.
I've given you a resource. Use it.
rb4346 writes:
Should have hired you then program would really be under laughing stock status, with Frances the talking jackarse as coach.
rb4346 writes:
Great post and so true!
KnoxVegas88 writes:
You sure seem to know a lot about where to obtain mental health counseling and illegal drugs. Its 10:00, shouldn't you be in bed? The short school bus will be picking you up early in the morning. Brush your tooth and get into bed, Nancy.
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