Some of “that NFL talent” for the Vols was already gone in 2016

I was watching the Tennessee Takeover replay of the 2016 Tennessee-Georgia game last night when my middle daughter came downstairs to put her cello away and asked me why I was watching a game I’d already seen. I was especially tired and so I just smiled and said, “We tend to forget stuff.”

As time goes by, we consolidate our memories into efficient shortcuts that are easier to remember, and as a result, the memory of the actual particulars fades. The abbreviated version of the 2016 Vols-Bulldogs game is that the Vols won that game on a miraculous Hail Mary when Josh Dobbs flung the ball to the end zone with four seconds left and Jajuan Jennings leaped over everybody to go get the ball and the victory.

If we sit down and give it more time, we might reminisce about some other details, such as how Georgia had nearly won the game just before that with their own miracle. We might even remember the sack-fumble-touchdown just before that that gave the Vols the lead.

What I’d forgotten, though, until I watched it again last night, is that Tennessee would have had seven more points had Jalen Hurd not decided it would be cool to score a touchdown while walking across the goal line and that Tennessee played that entire game with backup linebackers against a hammer of an offense. I’d forgotten that at least two key guys didn’t even got on the field against Georgia due to injury.

“The window of opportunity has closed”

One of the main talking points at SEC Media Days last week by regional and national pundits was that the Vols had missed their opportunity, that if they couldn’t do it with “all of that talent” last year, there’s no way they can do it this year with “all of that talent” gone.

It’s an easy argument to make, and it’s just as easy to swallow. Tennessee had six players taken in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft this spring – defensive end Derek Barnett, running back Alvin Kamara, defensive back Cam Sutton, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, wide receiver Josh Malone, and quarterback Josh Dobbs. That’s the best draft class for the Vols in 15 years.

So, if X + those guys = “disappointment,” then X – those guys = “even more disappointment.” If the Vols couldn’t get it done with them, they surely can’t do it without them. Sounds reasonable.

But there are a couple of problems with that argument, one of them being that it assumes that X is constant when it is not, which is a topic for a later post. Another problem with it is that last year wasn’t always “X + those guys.” “Those guys” weren’t all available at all the right times last season.

Who’s gone now and who was already gone last year

Only half of the guys who were drafted this spring played the entire season. Derek Barnett, Josh Dobbs, and Josh Malone all survived the 2016 gauntlet injury-free. They were important to whatever degree of success you assign to the 2016 season, and they’ll no doubt be missed.

But the other three – Reeves-Maybin, Sutton, and Kamara – all missed significant time or key games. Maybin suffered his injury against Ohio in the third game of the season. He then tried to play against Florida but just wasn’t himself at all and then missed the rest of the season. He was effectively not a part of the wins against Florida and Georgia or the losses to Texas A&M, Alabama, South Carolina, or Vanderbilt.

Cam Sutton also suffered his injury against Ohio early in the season and missed almost all of the key games of the season. He was unavailable for Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, Alabama, and South Carolina. He did not return until the Kentucky game.

Even Alvin Kamara was absent due to injury for a couple of key games. He was injured against Alabama and then missed the South Carolina game (as well as the Tennessee Tech game) after that.

All of those NFL guys are gone, so it is true that they’ll be unavailable against Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and LSU this year. But Reeves-Maybin and Sutton – two of the three most important players on defense last season – were not available for Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, and Alabama last season, either. And Kamara was missing for Alabama and South Carolina, and it’s not much of a stretch to say that his absence (and Jalen Hurd’s reported refusal to enter the game) was the difference against the Gamecocks as it resulted in an unprepared backup running back causing a key fumble.

Yes, Barnett, Dobbs, and Malone leaving presents Tennessee with a challenge of replacing NFL-caliber talent. But it’s not telling the whole story to say simply that “all of that talent is gone now.” The rest of the story is that, at the times it mattered most, much of that talent was already gone last year.

Tennessee vs Georgia Tech: Big Plays Will Be Even Bigger

Yesterday Bill Connelly released his Georgia Tech season preview, a must-read if you’re looking for a deep dive into the Yellow Jackets (…which sounds terrible in real life). What stands out the most to me from Bill’s work:  big plays were a much bigger part of Georgia Tech’s offense than I realized.

Last year Georgia Tech finished 123rd nationally in total offensive snaps with 771 in 13 games (59.3 per). They were the only team to play 13 games but finish with less than 800 offensive plays. It’s what you’d expect from a triple option team. As such they finished 104th nationally in 10+ yard plays last season.

But when you start going up from there in big play yardage, the Yellow Jackets surge. Georgia Tech finished tied for 11th nationally in 40+ yard plays with 25, and tied for eighth in 50+ yard plays with 16 despite running so few plays overall.

Georgia Tech hits big plays at a high percentage and plays at a pace with fewer opportunities to strike back. The play action pass can be effective, but down the stretch last year they also gashed teams with big runs. In their three game winning streak at the end of the regular season, Georgia Tech had touchdown runs of 53 and 56 yards at #14 Virginia Tech, three touchdowns of 50+ yards against Virginia, and opened the Georgia game with a 42-yard touchdown run.

How was Tennessee at stopping big plays last year? As I’m sure you recall, not great:  the Vols finished no better than 100th nationally in any denomination of big plays from 10-50+ yards allowed.

Bill’s preview also points out the tendencies of the Georgia Tech defense:

The Tech defense was the same as it’s been for a while: a passive, bend-don’t-break unit that prevents big plays and does just enough in terms of red zone defense and third-down defense to get off the field before allowing a touchdown.

Tech will give you a five- or 10-yard gain in the name of preventing a 20-yard gain. The Jackets gave up more frequently successful plays than any of their ACC brethren, but the successful plays were smaller than anyone else’s, too.

The raw numbers hold up here too:  Georgia Tech gave up just 17 30+ yard plays last season, fourth nationally.

Recent history suggests to beat this team you need great consistency on offense and to not get body-blowed into giving up a big play defensively. Tennessee got neither against Appalachian State last year in a slow game and it almost cost them.

The need for consistency is one reason lots of folks think it’ll be Quinten Dormady on September 4. The Vols will have fewer opportunities for big plays against this defense and fewer opportunities in general due to Georgia Tech’s pace of play. If there is truth to the perception that the older Dormady is a safer option, he may make the most sense in game one.

But the bigger question in this one will be Tennessee’s defense. Coming off such a disappointing season in 2016 and now facing such a unique offense, can they keep the Yellow Jackets from breaking a big one? It’s a false assumption that facing Georgia Tech is just about dealing with clouds of dust; it’s getting lost in the dust for a big play where they can really hurt you. To win this game Tennessee will have to stop big plays defensively and not rely on them offensively.

 

The Must List: Tennessee Quarterbacks

With the start of fall camp right around the corner, it’s time to look at some picks to prosper at each position.

Over the next couple of weeks leading up to the beginning of practice, we’ll examine each position and spotlight a player who the Vols desperately need to perform well as well as one who could elevate the team if he lives up to expectations.

Think of these as the old Chicago White Sox WGN announcers’ “picks to click.”

Today, we’ll start with the most vital spot on the whole team: the signal-callers. That’s where new QBs coach Mike Canales will be looked upon to milk some magic from the unproven players ready to step into the Sasquatch-sized footprints of Joshua Dobbs.

This one’s easy…

MUST

QUINTEN DORMADY, Junior

It’s anybody’s guess right now who will trot out with the 1s when Tennessee opens the season at Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Labor Day night. But if this spring is any indicator, it’ll be Dormady.

That’s the safe bet, anyway.

Despite all the hubbub surrounding one-time marquee recruit Jarrett Guarantano, Dormady stole the spotlight. Considering pretty much every coach in the country would like to go with experience if it’s paired with enough talent, if the race is really close in late August, coach Butch Jones will probably give Dormady the chance to earn the job.

The 6’4″, 222-pound junior from Boerne, Texas, has only limited experience backing up Dobbs the past two years, but when it was his turn this spring, he didn’t disappoint. Though Dormady needs to get more consistent throwing the ball, he possesses the arm strength and accuracy to “throw guys open,” as the old football cliche goes. With all the inexperience in the receiving corps beyond Jauan Jennings, that may prove to be a valuable asset.

For Tennessee fans used to watching a versatile, dual-threat quarterback with Dobbs under center, Dormady is going to be a break from the norm. That may not be such a bad thing. With new offensive coordinator Larry Scott’s history being grounded in more pro-style elements, Dormady wouldn’t necessarily be a square peg in a round hole. Tennessee’s offense actually could evolve with him under (behind?) center.

Though Dormady’s sneaky athleticism can keep teams honest (think Baker Mayfield- or Andrew Luck-type skill set tucking and going) he isn’t going to lead the Vols in rushing the way Dobbs did several times. That’s OK. With John Kelly, Ty Chandler and Co. in the backfield, that’s for other folks.

It’s not a stretch to believe Tennessee’s passing offense will be better with Dormady dropping back than it was with Dobbs. The draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers was a gamer for the Vols, but he was never the zippiest passer with the most accuracy. UT did Dobbs a disservice by never employing a dedicated quarterbacks coach, and that became obvious when Dobbs began to unlock some of his hidden potential with some mechanical tweaks during his NFL workout tour.

With Canales in tow, that’s no longer the case. Dormady has somebody who can dissect his every move and work with him to unlock his full passing potential. That potential is massive, as he has an NFL arm. If he can read through progressions and be on-point with his accuracy, the Vols’ passing game could be much improved.

If not, it’ll be Guarantano’s job before too long.

 

MIGHT

JARRETT GUARANTANO, Redshirt Freshman

Guarantano’s potential is tantalizing, and even if he doesn’t wind up being “The Man” this year, UT looks to be in strong hands when he takes over.

The redshirt freshman New Jersey native may be too talented to keep off the field.

At the very least, it’s possible Jones finds ways to navigate a two-quarterback system at times in 2017 thanks to having two capable quarterbacks with a different arsenal of weaponry.

Jones didn’t differentiate that much between the tool sets of Dormady and Guarantano, saying they had similar attributes. He admitted Tennessee may play two quarterbacks at SEC Media Days last week, according to GoVols247’s Wes Rucker:

“I think playing time is earned, so if both players earn their right to play, we’ll play both quarterbacks,” Jones said. “I’ve been in systems where we’ve been able to do that, and really Quinten and Jarrett’s skill sets are very similar to each other. I think we have an offense that really can play to the skill sets of the quarterback and all of the players around.

“Again, if both players earn the right to play, they’ll both play. Again, it’s how it’s gonna play itself out, because these two individuals are very, very capable and very good football players.

“It’s a good problem to have.”

Well, if it works.

Playing two quarterbacks has produced results across the spectrum depending on what teams run it.

The old adage goes, “if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none.” While that is certainly the case sometimes, it isn’t always. If the Vols decide to do that, it needs to be because Guarantano (or Dormady, whoever loses the battle) plays his way onto the field, and not because the starter plays his way off it.

Whatever happens, it’s a safe bet Guarantano earns some reps in 2017. That could be good news or bad news for the Vols.

It’s bad if Dormady wins the job and is ineffective, leading to Jones feeling like he must make a switch in order to win games. Guarantano offers an option that is much more similar to Dobbs’ ability to be a dual-threat weapon. The 6’4″, 200-pound Bergen (N.J.) Catholic signal-caller was the nation’s No. 1-ranked dual-threat quarterback according to 247Sports, and many of the top teams in the country wanted him.

He chose the Vols over Ohio State and his father’s alma mater of Rutgers, and the family has a strong relationship with the Vols’ head coach from his days as an assistant with the Scarlet Knights during James Guarantano’s days.

Just because Dormady holds the clubhouse lead for the starting gig doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near over. Guarantano has the opportunity to seize the gig this fall and be the first UT quarterback on the field against the Yellow Jackets. He has really good speed, even if he isn’t as deceptive in the open field and as slippery as Dobbs. He also has a cannon for an arm, possibly even better than Dormady’s, though it isn’t as polished yet.

If Guarantano puts all those skills together, it’ll be tough to keep him off the field.

Both quarterbacks give the Vols some exciting options. They just need one (or both) of them to prove they deserve to be an elite-level SEC quarterback.

Gameday Today: Football is in the air

First things first. Autumn is coming.

And so is the Chick-fil-A Kickoff between the Vols and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets:

That means that Butch Jones is doing the Car Wash thing at ESPN today and that the SEC Network will be showing 24 consecutive hours of Vols programming for Tennessee Takeover Day tomorrow.

Speaking of that Georgia Tech game, Brian Rice lays out some very good reasons to believe that the whole “they’re beating us in ticket sales” is myth. Also, while a lot of folks are (understandably) concerned about the Vols having to play that wicked triple option for the season-opener, John Adams is wearing his happy hat today and reminding Vols fans that Butch Jones is 7-0 in openers and bowl games.

Preseason All-SEC offensive lineman Jashon Robertson is loving the depth along the o-line heading into this season. It’s been a long, hard road, but there are nine or 10 players competing for those five spots, and Robertson says even he doesn’t feel safe, which is very good news for the entire unit.

Similarly, defensive tackle Kendal Vickers says the depth at his position is much better than it was a year ago, that he’s liking the new defensive ends as well, and that the entire defensive line should be better able to withstand any return of Murphy and his Law this fall (whew).

The Vols were picked a distant third in the SEC East after SEC Media Days last week. One Missouri writer picked Tennessee sixth, behind the Tigers. Fighting words!

Four Vols earned preseason All-SEC honors, and SEC Country has five more who with good seasons could make the postseason first-team list.

Preseason All-SEC wide receiver Jajuan Jennings has had a good and quiet summer and is ready to be the feature guy at his position.

While Butch Jones and his guys are hoping to improve things on the field this fall, John Currie, who says things are trending up for the Vols, is working hard to improve the fan experience at the stadium.

 

 

Tennessee picked third in the SEC East, four Vols land on preseason All-SEC team

When SEC Media Days concluded last week, the league released the results of its preseason predictions and All-SEC teams. As expected, Tennessee landed at third in the SEC East, after Georgia (1,572 points) and Florida (1,526 points). What was a little surprising was that the Vols showed up a distant third with only 998 points. Georgia received 138 first-place votes, Florida 96, and Tennessee a mere three.

The Vols did not show up at all in the pick list for SEC Champion. Alabama is the overwhelming favorite there with 217 points. Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Florida, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas all received at least one point.

2017 Preseason Media Days All-SEC Team

Tennessee did land four players on the preseason All-SEC team. Offensive lineman Jashon Robertson and kick returner Evan Berry made second team, and wide receiver Jajuan Jennings and punter Trevor Daniel made third team.

We haven’t posted this online yet, but in our preseason magazine, we put Berry on first team, Robertson, Daniel, and linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. on second team, and Jennings and offensive lineman Coleman Thomas on third team.

 

Gameday Today: Frightened by controversy, and wishing good things for monsters

With two weeks and counting to football, we’re beginning to feel good about the team’s talent, still worrying over quarterback controversy, and hoping monsters develop mental stamina. All this and more in today’s Vols link roundup.

Football

“You go through the pregame routines. You go through the preparation in your mind the day before the game,” Robertson said. “You go through the ‘Vol Walk’ and all of those things, which are all great things. But at the same time, it takes a certain amount of your mental energy in itself. You go through that and then you play a half of the game.

“For myself, I was sitting around and looking, thinking like, ‘Is this the end of the game?’ I look up at the scoreboard and it’s halftime. It’s just a whole other level, a whole other commitment to the game in itself. Just doing that week in and week out was something I had to get accustomed to.”

  • Speaking of Robertson, the man has absolutely no clue as to which of Tennessee’s current defensive linemen is the best of the bunch. Defensive tackle Kendal Vickers wants a word (same link).
  • What’s keeping Shy Tuttle from letting two serious injuries in two years derail his career? According to GoVols247, it’s his attitude:

One of the most popular and well-liked players on the team, Tuttle is a happy-go-lucky guy. In the only interview he’s done as a Tennessee player as an early enrollee in 2015, he didn’t say much, giving credence to his name. Behind the scenes, though, his carefree attitude and positive spirit have carried him through the toughest of the times the past two years.

[ess_grid alias=”grt-2017-promo-grid”][/ess_grid]

SEC Media Days video recaps

The 2017 SEC Media Days hay is in the barn, and these are the best bales of the season:

Hmm. That disturbing image of Paul Finebaum in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff helmet is eerily reminiscent of something. Oh, right.

Other Vols news

SEC Diver of the Year Liam Stone and U.S. national open water champion David Heron are competing in the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Jashon Robertson makes the Outland Trophy Watch List

The Football Writers Association of America (“FWAA”) named Tennessee senior offensive lineman Jashon Robertson to its 2017 Outland Trophy watch list today.

https://twitter.com/Vol_Football/status/885507656340975617

The Outland Trophy is given to the nation’s best interior lineman (offense or defense) each year, the winner being chosen from three finalists from the FWAA All-America Team. Robertson, who has started 34 games for Tennessee and was a key contributor to 2016’s record-breaking offense, is one of 81 players overall and one of 11 from the SEC on the preseason watch list. The watch list is made up of 24 offensive tackles, 21 defensive tackles, 20 centers, and 16 offensive guards.

The watch list will be whittled down to six or seven semifinalists on November 15, and six days later down to the three finalists. The winner will be announced live on ESPN on December 7.

Gameday Today: Players weigh in on the question of the day

Players weigh in on the positivity question, the Jajuan Jennings hype builds, and Peyton Manning continues to entertain. This and more in today’s Vols link roundup.

Football

  • Huh. Players (well, Kendal Vickers and Emmanuel Moseley at least) love Butch Jones’ positive leadership:

“It’s a good talent to have, because with all the scrutiny around the SEC in general, there’s times when you might not want to be so positive,” defensive tackle Kendal Vickers said. “But he always stays positive and always tell us and always tries to feed positivity into our brains. It really helps in tough times and stuff like that, just to have a guy like him talking to us and just saying what’s on his mind.

“He’s a great leader, and we all love to listen to him.”

. . . .

“Coach Jones, he’s a positive guy,” cornerback Emmanuel Moseley said. “He brings positive energy. He knows that’s what we need as a team, and he does that on a day-to-day basis.”

“Jauan is a football player, and a very good football player,” Jones said. “He’s had a very, very good offseason. His body is completely different. We’ve spoken to him about doing the things that great football players do, with obviously in the weight room and nutrition and rest and all that goes into being a great football player.

“I’ve been very, very encouraged and very, very excited about the summer that he’s had. I know he wants that role. I know he wants that opportunity.

“He’s a great competitor, and he wants the football in his hands.”

VFLs

  • Does following Peyton Manning ever get old? No, it does not. Here’s Manning talking about playing golf with the president:

And here he is making jokes at the ESPYs last night:

I will say that I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Durant and Westbrook were in on the joke.

  • I found these quotes from Josh Dobbs about how he’s discovered more hours in the day and how he’s using them amusing:

How does the academic background help you with the game?
 It helps a lot. It’s been cool just focusing on football. It’s crazy how many hours are in the day when you don’t have school. Just the habits and structure and discipline it took to be successful in the classroom it took pursuing a strenuous and difficult degree, it’s the same as a quarterback, the same structure and discipline in the classroom and on the field. You might be taking the same drops over and over, but you are building habits that are going to help you on Sunday. That discipline, structure and learning how to be successful in the classroom have helped me on the field.

What are you doing with the extra few minutes you have now?
 Sleeping. Eating a little bit more. Getting all of my meals. In college every day coach would ask me two questions. How many hours of sleep did you get last night and did you get your two meals before practice. Usually it was yes, but half the time it was no to both questions. But it was cool. Now being professional, being able to take care of my body, have time to learn the playbook, being able to just focus on football is a lot of fun. I really enjoy it.

Recruiting

GVX has an interesting interview with Tennessee commit Greg Emerson that includes an explanation of how he got injured at The Opening.

Other Vols news

Other news

Nashville is making a push to host SEC Media Days in the future.

Programming set for Tennessee Takeover Day on the SEC Network

The schedule for Tennessee Takeover Day on the SEC Network is set. The network will show nothing but Vols coverage for 24 hours straight beginning at 12:00 a.m. next Tuesday, July 18. The schedule features three football games (last year’s Florida and Georgia games, plus the 1998 national championship), last year’s win over Kentucky in basketball, a Tennessee-Vanderbilt baseball game, a Lady Vols-South Carolina hoops game, a volleyball game, a Tennessee-Florida softball game, a football National Signing Day special, and four VFL Films and SEC Storied specials about the Vols.

Here’s the entire programming schedule (all times ET):

  • 12:00 a.m.
    Football: Tennessee vs. Florida
  • 3:00 a.m.
    Football: Tennessee at Georgia
  • 6:00 a.m.
    Volleyball: Tennessee vs. Kentucky
  • 8:00 a.m.
    Men’s Hoops: Tennessee vs. Kentucky
  • 10:00 a.m.
    Women’s Hoops: Tennessee at South Carolina
  • 12:00 p.m.
    Softball: Tennessee vs. Florida
  • 2:00 p.m.
    Baseball: Tennessee at Vanderbilt
  • 4:00 p.m.
    VFL Films: Best of Tennessee
  • 5:00 p.m.
    Football: Signing Day 2017
  • 6:00 p.m.
    VFL Films: Declaration Day 2017
  • 7:00 p.m.
    SEC Storied: The Color Orange
  • 8:00 p.m.
    SEC Storied: Pat XO
  • 9:00 p.m.
    Football: 1998 National Championship

It seems like they could have found better time slots for the football games, but that’s why we have DVRs. Just make sure there’s room on that sucker before Tuesday rolls around.

Counterpoint: Butch Jones’ Positive Spinning is Maddening to the Vols Fanbase

I started a new job this week, and I’ve gone from being a virtual expert at my daily responsibilities to having to train for 8 hours the past few days just to get a handle on all of my new tasks.

That’s disappointing.

After all, I thought even though I was changing gigs, I’d catch on quickly.

In one of my night jobs, I thought I wrote a kick-butt article for Bleacher Report last night that I re-read multiple times and published this morning. Looked clean to me. Though the content was strong, I got an editorial note that on one of the slides, I forgot to link an article I quoted.

That’s disappointing.

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones doesn’t understand the definition of disappointment, obviously. After he was quoted — yet again — as saying something cringe-worthy at SEC Media Days this week, answering that last season wasn’t a disappointment, he led to yet another national media frenzy dissecting his words with a gigantic, 500-word “seriously?”

The words, yet again, have split an already fractured fanbase down the middle. The staunch Butch supporters believe the words were no big deal and point (rightfully) to the fact that the past two nine-win seasons are better than the five-win seasons of Derek Dooley not so long ago.

Others, like the jaded, frustrated fans who remember the glorious 1990s and can’t quite stomach even the upper end of mediocrity have used this as yet another battle cry that Butch isn’t the answer.

Neither extreme is OK. Why? Because even though last season may not have been bad, it was, indeed, a disappointment, by definition. After saying, “I don’t view it as a disappointment, these were his VERY NEXT WORDS:

“The way I view it is we didn’t accomplish everything we set ourselves out to. And, again, our goal every year is to win a championship and compete to win a championship.”

[We interrupt this regularly scheduled column to bring you the actual, real-life definition of “disappointment.”

dis·ap·point·ment
disəˈpointmənt/
noun
the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations.
Uhhhhhhh, yeah. So, um, Butch, last year was a disappointment, big guy. It just was. Ask senior defensive tackle Kendal Vickers, who is 22 years old and still more media-savvy than our head football coach.

If it sounds like I’m going after Butch, it shouldn’t, because I’m not. My track record proves I’m a Butch supporter. I believe he has gone a long way in re-establishing the program to a level of respectability. The jury is still out on whether he’s good enough to be a championship-level coach at Tennessee, but he’s earned enough string to prove whether he can or not.

I’m sorry, but three years of rebuilding from the doldrums of the worst head coaching hire in SEC history and an injury-plagued 2016 season isn’t enough to tell us either way.

I know for a fact that Jones isn’t on the hot seat, no matter what a vocal minority on social media and message boards want to say. New athletic director John Currie knows what state the program has been in, and he knows how far it’s come. This year is a pivot point in Jones’ tenure, sure, but there won’t be any serious talk about going in a different direction until after the 2018 season, at least.

So, divorce that idea from this one: Jones needs to learn what to say when.

Last year was a disappointment. It started with a 5-0 flurry, and was a whole lot of fun breaking the Florida streak and beating Georgia on the Dobb-nail boot. But also included in those five wins was the lucky-to-win game against a less-talented Appalachian State team to open the season.

Then, even though the wheels didn’t necessarily come off, the Vols had to steer to the curb and call a tow service. After an injury-cursed loss at Texas A&M, UT was blown to smithereens by Alabama. Then, they fell apart defensively down the stretch in wins against Missouri and Kentucky and losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

No matter what you want to call it, there’s no excuse for those defensive performances in Year 4 of any coach’s tenure. Tennessee is historically supposed to beat Vanderbilt and South Carolina regardless of the circumstances, but there’s no question UT should have still been more talented than those teams even with all the injuries. At the very least, they shouldn’t have given up miles worth of yards, including a school-record high in yards allowed against Mizzou in a game they actually won.

It’s unacceptable. It’s a disappointment.

Many writers have weighed in over the past few days on Jones’ words. Anything else I say about what he should have said would just be a repeat of that. But even though Butch’s sound bytes are scrutinized more than they probably should be by people across the country, his track record doesn’t exactly give him any free passes.

Much like Jones’ progress in the win column has bought him some wiggle room when it comes to keeping his job (as we’ve already discussed), his verbal miscues have tightened the noose in the realm of public perception. After “champions of life” and “five-star hearts” Butch needs to rebuild his reputation “brick by brick” before the cynical world of media and the court of public opinion.

The fact is Tennessee’s historical fortitude and the heights of the program’s success have sculpted a world where nine wins is acceptable, but it’s not good enough. Butch’s opinion doesn’t matter to a fan base that has seen its two biggest rivals reach unprecedented success during a dark time. The successes of Nick Saban at Alabama and Urban Meyer at Florida haven’t done Butch or anybody else in the SEC, for that matter, any favors.

But Butch didn’t have to beat Alabama in 2016 for it to keep from being a disappointment. All he had to do was win against South Carolina and Vanderbilt and seize a down SEC East with the door wide-open in a year the Vols were expected to do just that.

He didn’t do it. A Florida team with one of the worst offenses in the country has gone to the SEC Championship Game two years in a row now because the Vols couldn’t seize what was being handed to them. Bottom line.

And while last year shouldn’t be nearly enough to get him fired, it’s the first flesh wound.

If that’s not disappointing to Butch, well, it should be.

Here’s the thing, Vols fans. It actually IS disappointing to him. You’ve seen the man on the sidelines. You know he is passionate, turns eight shades of red and looks like his head is going to blow off. He tirelessly recruits, scrutinizes every single detail of the program with his fingerprints all over it and has proved over and over again he will make the difficult decisions — even when it means severing ties with long-time friends — when it comes to upgrading his coaching staff.

He cares. A lot. And he’s disappointed last year didn’t end with the Vols playing for a championship. He said it. The goal is to win championships, and the Vols didn’t do it.

By definition, that’s disappointing.

All he has to do is say it. All he has to do to stay on the same wavelength as the sane Tennessee fans is to just let them know that while things are getting better and the program is getting healthier, seasons like last year are unacceptable. They’re disappointing.

If you want a team that competes for championships and expects championships, you have to preach to your team that anything less is not OK. I’ve been behind closed doors, and Butch does that. He says it all the time; he lives it and breathes it.

For some reason, he just refuses to tell us that. And that’s why we don’t see eye-to-eye.