Vols’ Jones says high coaching turnover ‘unfortunate’

Tennessee's Butch Jones is one of two SEC East football coaches who have just finished three seasons at their school, the longest tenures in the division. Tennessee's Butch Jones is one of two SEC East football coaches who have just finished three seasons at their school, the longest tenures in the division.

By Patrick Brown December 1, 2015 5 min read

KNOXVILLE – By a mere 10 days, Butch Jones is the SEC East Division football coach with the second-longest tenure.

He just wrapped up his third season at Tennessee.

Georgia joined South Carolina and Missouri in the market for a new coach after firing Mark Richt on Sunday. That came less than 24 hours after the Bulldogs, who lost their best player in running back Nick Chubb on the first play of an eventual 38-31 loss to the Volunteers in October, beat rival Georgia Tech to finish a 9-3 regular season.

“I was just told I’m the most tenured coach in the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division,” Jones said Monday, drawing rousing laughter from the crowd at the Knoxville Quarterback Club’s weekly luncheon.

“I do think it’s unfortunate,” he added.