Butch Jones saw it all coming — everything except for the bowtie.
For the second consecutive season, Tennessee reeled in a top-10 recruiting class. Only this one is ranked better than the last. The Volunteers topped it off with 4-star tackle Drew Richmond, who promised to flip from Ole Miss given one condition from his coach.
“Well the first thing I had to do was put on a bowtie,” Jones told Sporting News. “I promised him I would put on a bowtie when I announced it. I tell you, everyone went crazy.”
Nothing else should surprise about Jones’ third cycle in Knoxville. The first landed quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who led Tennessee to a 4-2 record after taking over as starter last season. The second landed running back Jalen Hurd, who averaged 4.7 yards per carry as a freshman, along with 5-star receiver Josh Malone, who averaged 25.7 yards per catch.
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Junior college running back Alvin Kamara and 4-star quarterback Quinten Dormady arrived as early enrollees this year. The 2015 class also brings in a total of 11 linemen on both sides of the ball. On defense, 5-star defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie joins 4-star linemen Kyle Phillips. Andrew Butcher and Shy Tuttle on defense. On the other side, 4-star tackle Jack Jones and Richmond are on board.
Tennessee is starting to look how Tennessee is supposed to look, especially in the trenches.
“We have a vision of what’s going on at Tennessee, and when these recruits come on campus they see it,” Jones said “Winning our first bowl game since 2007, having our first winning season since 2009; you see all those things starting to manifest themselves.”
Why is Jones having success? He said it’s about trusting a “recruiting profile of like-minded individuals.” No program needed that speech more. Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley combined for a 23-27 record in four years before Jones’ arrival. The last three classes are starting to put everyone on the same page. That starts with the right players.
Tennessee has struggled with elite talent the last 10 years. Chris Donald (2007) and Da’Rick Rogers (2010) transferred. Janzen Jackson (2009) and Demetrice Morley (2005) were dismissed from the team. Hurd and Malone have helped change that perception.
“If you look at our current team, they’ve been the biggest ambassadors for our football program,” Jones said. “A young man comes on campus, feels the expectations, standards and perspective we have at Tennessee.”
Meeting those expectations and standards also requires the right perspective. Tennessee still is just 14-34 in SEC play since Phillip Fulmer retired. The legendary Vols coach went 95-34 in conference from 1992-2008. Tennessee hasn’t won the SEC since 1998, when the Vols won a BCS championship.
That’s why this two-year period is creating buzz in one of those football-crazy meccas itching to get back on the big stage. Is it time to cue the most-infectious fight song in the SEC?
“It’s still a process and we’re still very young,” Jones said. “You could argue we’ll be the youngest team in college football next year. It’s part of the process, and we still have a long way to go. Today is a great step in the right direction.”
Jones sees it coming. Can you?
