Tennessee's Jones moving on amid bittersweet month

Head coach Butch Jones watched his Tennessee Volunteers practice at Haslam Field on Aug. 6, 2015.
Head coach Butch Jones watched his Tennessee Volunteers practice at Haslam Field on Aug. 6, 2015.

One week from today, the 25th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will open their third football season under coach Butch Jones against Bowling Green in Nashville.

Jones was a guest Friday afternoon on "Press Row" on Chattanooga's ESPN 105.1 FM.

Q: Given that your team has developed this month but suffered some key injuries, has this been a bittersweet time?

A: "It has. Any time you lose the player of the caliber of a Marcus Jackson or a Rashaan Gaulden, it obviously eats at you. When you're going through training camp, you know you're going to have some obstacles and some adversity along the way, and you wonder who it's going to be. I feel for those young men, just like I feel for Austin Sanders, LaDarrell McNeil and Vincent Perry.

"Most of our injuries have been noncontact injuries. Vincent Perry's was just basically cutting on the grass, and his knee pops, but it has been great to see a lot of players really building their football identity. I've really liked this football team the last couple of weeks. They've invested exceptionally hard."

Q: Freshman receiver Preston Williams is now eligible, but how realistic is it that he plays against Bowling Green?

A: "We'll have to take it one day at a time with Preston, and for me to say that he'll be ready would just be speculation. Obviously we'll have to see how he is from a conditioning standpoint and a knowledge standpoint, but I'm just glad that's all over with.

"That was a long and tedious process, and I know it had started to wear on him and take its toll."

Q: What is your biggest concern a week out with this team?

A: "Just our overall depth, because we're nowhere where we need to be. We did a mock travel list this morning, and we could play upwards of 21 or 22 true freshmen again, and that will rival anybody in the country. I think that's still a snapshot of where we're at in the continuation of building Tennessee football.

"I do like the makeup and the competitive character of this team, but our health is going to be absolutely critical."

Q: Has your recruiting pitch to prospects changed since your first year at Tennessee?

A: "It has. Recruiting is all about building relationships and building that trust, and when you have that, you don't really need a pitch. They come on campus and see the product we sell at Tennessee. We have great academics and great facilities, but we have even better people.

"Our players have been our biggest ambassadors, and the kids visiting here see that and feel the energy. They see the progress, but you don't completely change a football program in three years when we've struggled for the last 10. It takes time, and that's something we still invest in."

Q: Has Colton Jumper being in the mix for starting middle linebacker surprised you?

A: "Colton is one of those young men who continues to work each and every day. We always talk about competing and not comparing, and he puts his head down and competes all the time. He's had a very good camp, and not only will he bring something special to our linebacking corps, but he adds a dynamic on special teams as well.

"Everything here is about a family environment, and we've welcomed his brother Will to our football team, and that's helped Colton, too."

Q: Do you have a game-day routine or superstition?

A: "I can tell you one thing that's constant the day before the game and the day of the game, and that's called a stomachache. I'll get a stomachache and a headache, but I do like to spend a lot of quiet time on game day just rehearsing every scenario that could present itself from game management to injuries to trick plays or when to take shots.

"You rehearse all those things in your mind, but I'm not really a superstitious person."

Q: Phillip Fulmer said on our show that you could have a special year if you got by Georgia. Do you envy former coaches who speak more freely now?

A: "He's been a great resource for me, and he was at practice just the other day. Our relationship means so much, and to have him walk in this building and for our players to see him on our sideline is exceptionally healthy for Tennessee football. So I value our friendship, and we just had our mock game at Neyland Stadium, and Coach (Johnny) Majors was there.

"They are Tennessee. Our former players and our former coaches mean everything to us."

Q: What will you do on your final weekend before the season starts?

A: "I will spend half of the day with the family and then go to the office to plan the week out. I already have the practice schedule done for the upcoming week, but I'll watch some video on my own and try to get that game-week mindset going."

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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