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Tennessee Football: 5 candidates to replace Butch Jones as head coach

By Dana Becker

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 30: Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones leaves the field after a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on September 30, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Georgia won 41-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 30: Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones leaves the field after a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on September 30, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Georgia won 41-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The Butch Jones era of Tennessee football is coming to a close. There will be a lot of names mentioned as replacement, but here are five that make the most sense.

The 49-year-old Jones came with plenty of promise following a 19-6 run with Cincinnati. After going 5-7 in his first season in Knoxville, Tennessee won three consecutive bowl games and posted back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2015 and 2016, tying for second in the SEC East.

But the losses are starting to irritate the Vol community.

Against South Carolina, Jarrett Guarantano threw three consecutive incompletions on first-and-goal from the 2-yard line with nine seconds left. The Vols also suffered a humiliating 41-0 loss at home to Georgia and were bested at Florida, 26-20. Then came the 45-7 Alabama debacle.

Even when they won, it was ugly. Tennessee needed two overtimes to put away Georgia Tech in the season opener and survived at home against UMass, 17-13.

Jones will be handed over $8 million for his buyout after the firing.

Here are five candidates the Vols need to invest time and money into in hopes of returning to the top of the SEC.

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