The novelty of Butch Jones wearing crimson at an Alabama-Tennessee football game came and went with last year’s matchup inside Neyland Stadium.
Jones is now in his second season as an Alabama offensive analyst under Nick Saban after spending five years as head coach of the Volunteers, and he enters Saturday night’s showdown between the No. 1 Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) and the Vols (3-3, 1-2) with as much experience as anybody on that side of the ball for Alabama.
Current coordinator Steve Sarkisian was an offensive analyst for most of the 2016 season in Tuscaloosa and replaced Lane Kiffin as coordinator before the national title contest against Clemson, but then he left for two seasons in the NFL. Tight ends coach Jeff Banks is in his second season with the Tide, while offensive line coach Kyle Flood, running backs coach Charles Huff and receivers coach Holmon Wiggins are newcomers, which has resulted in Jones suddenly becoming a familiar face for Saban.
“Most of the stuff he does is behind the scenes, like film study and administrative-type work,” Saban said Wednesday. “He always does a ‘What do we need to do on offense?’ for me, and offering his opinion in terms of improving based on film study and things like that. His role has always sort of been that, and he’s done a really, really good job of it.
“He’s a great person and a great guy to have in your organization.”