The Volunteer's head coach Butch Jones raises his arms while walking off the field to celebrate his team's 24-17 win over the Commodores in Nashville on Saturday, Nove. 29, 2014.KNOXVILLE -- Amid reported interest from Michigan, Tennessee football coach Butch Jones appears to be in line for a contract extension and raise after the Volunteers went 6-6 this season to earn their first bowl bid since 2010.
Multiple reports in Knoxville on Friday suggested Tennessee's second-year coach would agree to a revised contract within the next week or so.
Jones did not return a phone call from the Times Free Press on Friday afternoon.
The Times Free Press reported earlier this week that a raise and extension for both Jones and his coaching staff were likely after Tennessee added a postseason bowl berth to its success on the recruiting trail.
According to Knoxville radio station WNML, Jones will receive a raise of more than $250,000 to his $2.95 million salary, which is one of the lowest in the SEC.
Jones and his assistant coaches have been traveling this week recruiting, and Jones was in Indianapolis on Thursday evening visiting undecided four-star linebacker prospect Darrin Kirkland along with linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen and defensive line coach Steve Stripling.
Based on where Tennessee plays its bowl game, Jones, whose original deal was for six years through the 2018 season, was due a bonus of $100,000 or $200,000 for reaching a bowl game, and each assistant coach receives a bowl bonus worth 8.33 percent of their salary.
Tennessee's assistant coaches signed two-year deals that were extended through 2016 after last season, but Thigpen, named Rivals' national recruiter of the year for 2014, was the only coach to get a raise. The former Auburn assistant saw his salary bumped $25,000 to $370,000.
Mike Bajakian and John Jancek are among the lowest paid coordinators in the SEC at $475,000 each.
Jones, who is 11-13 in two years at Tennessee, has been linked to the Michigan job, which only came open when Brady Hoke was fired earlier this week, for a few weeks now.
According to a FootballScoop.com report on Friday, Michigan "did reach out to Tennessee's administration to request approval to speak with Butch Jones." The report said Jones "will not entertain the Michigan job."
Tennessee will practice late this morning, with Jones set to speak when it is over.