Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Butch Jones tosses shade back at Steve Spurrier at SEC Media Days

By Patrick Schmidt

facebooktwitterreddit

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones fired back at earlier shots from South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier at SEC Media Days on Tuesday and it was glorious.

The opening and closing to Day 2 of SEC Media Days were highlighted by a couple of quotes from South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier and Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones.

Related: Tennessee Volunteers Season Preview and Prediction

Spurrier was the first coach to meet with the assembled media today and took a jab at Arkansas and Tennessee for celebrating their 7-6 win seasons while the perception was the Gamecocks were a disappointment after posting an identical 7-6 record.

Spurrier tried to clarify his comments later when he sat down with the SEC Network and said he wasn’t trying to take a shot at those two programs but to say he was celebrating all the same after they won their bowl game to get their seventh win.

Jones wasn’t buying it so when he addressed the media to close the second day at SEC Media Days, he made sure he fired back right back at the Head Ball Coach who he is 2-0 against since taking over the Vols.

Now, as far as trash talk goes from coaches, this is about as hostile as you’re gonna get — at least in the middle of July. I don’t think there was any animosity from either Spurrier or Jones, but you gotta love how Jones responded and stood up for his team and recognizes they still have work to do.

Tennessee improved from five wins in Jones’ first year to seven in the second and could be SEC east champions this year with a host of returning starters on both sides of the ball. In any event the game against the Gamecocks and Vols promises to be must-see TV for the third year in a row.

Next: Top 5 Candidates to Win SEC Defensive Player of the Year

More from Saturday Blitz

Home/SEC