Tennessee football suffered another embarrassing road loss in Week 11, turning the temperature up on Butch Jones’ hot seat from scalding to an inferno.
Missouri’s offense is no joke. Drew Lock is slinging the ball as well as he ever has and the Tigers have scored 40 points or more in four consecutive games. That includes a 45-16 win over Florida in Week 10, the Tigers’ first SEC victory of the season.
Tennessee entered the year with much higher expectations than this. The Vols have now won just one game in their last six, a 24-10 victory over Southern Miss in Week 10. The Vols are 0-6 in SEC play and host LSU next weekend. There aren’t many reasons for optimism in Knoxville right now and the Tennessee fans haven’t been afraid to express their displeasure.
The writing has been on the wall for some time now. It was somewhat expected that head coach Butch Jones would be relieved of his duties following a 41-0 home defeat at the hands of Georgia. He survived that game. He went on to survived more than 12 quarters without an offensive touchdown. Will another hapless outing against one of the worst teams, at least by record in the SEC?
Here’s what the Vols’ fans and others had to say about Jones’ latest outing on Twitter:
Butch Jones watch has moved to DEFCON 1 tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/yHvgVnzr6b
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 12, 2017
Butch Jones just lost to Missouri by 33 points.
— RockyTopTalk (@RockyTopTalk) November 12, 2017
Butch Jones should’ve been fired after the Georgia game.
— Vol Herald (@VolHerald) November 12, 2017
Butch Jones should’ve been fired after the South Carolina game.
Butch Jones should’ve been fired after the Alabama game.
Butch Jones should’ve been fired after the Kentucky game.
Fire him tonight @John_Currie
Hey @John_Currie while you're busy tweeting about soccer and tennis, Butch Jones is putting together the worst season in UT history in his fifth year and you still haven't fired him.
— scrunge binghampton (@wingsnthings980) November 12, 2017
Tennessee allowed 300+ rushing yards just twice in a dozen years since 2000. Have given up 300+ on the ground EIGHT times under Butch Jones, including 343 to Mizzou after just three quarters.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 12, 2017
Butch Jones could have the worst season in Tennessee history. pic.twitter.com/QZNRfL5EqH
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 12, 2017
Prediction: We just watched Butch Jones coach his final game as the head coach at Tennessee.
— Rocky Top News (@rockytop_news) November 12, 2017
Your weekly look at the final days of the Butch Jones tenure pic.twitter.com/CrX2dVjYLh
— Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) November 12, 2017
At what point do Tennessee fans pass Butch Jones and start questioning John Currie, the AD? What he’s allowing Jones to do to this football program is a disgrace to the Big Orange fans.
— Brad Logan (@BradLoganCOTE) November 12, 2017
Tennessee playing Rocky Top after blocking the extra point with Mizzou up 50-17 is the perfect ending to Butch Jones's SEC career.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 12, 2017
Scratch that: from 1933-2010, Tennessee had never gone 0-6 in SEC play. From 2011-17, they’ve been 0-6 three times — Derek Dooley twice (2011-12), Butch Jones once (2017).
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) November 12, 2017
Next: Latest 2018 NFL Mock Draft after Week 11
There’s no way that Tennessee is going to bring Jones back next season after an 0-6 start in SEC play. He’s playing out the string until Athletic Director John Currie decides he’s seen enough. Tennessee was once a proud SEC program. Now they’re the laughing-stock of the SEC. Perhaps Currie thinks the damage has already been done. However, until he makes a change the chorus from the fans will remain unchanged.