Had Butch Jones chosen Purdue in 2012, what would the results have been?

[RegionWarrior101]

I remember the photos of the cloudy day and Butch being led around on the Purdue tarmac by M organ Burke. He heard us out and went to Tennessee for a better deal, we got Darrell Hazell and know the rest.

I was mulling this question yesterday as I heard Butch had been let go. I think first off, he would have obviously been a better hire than what we got. Hope's recruiting wasn't great but I would like to think we would have been more competitive. At the same token I think we would have never gotten into that abyss and hit rock bottom- he would have been hovering around .500 enough to force no need for that football summit and all the new toys we have like lights, performance complex, etc.

For arguments sake, I think we would have been something like:

2013 - 4-8 (1-11)
2014 - 6-6 (3-9)
2015 - 7-5 (2-10)
2016 - 8-4 (3-9)
2017 - 7-3 (4-6)

The perk of going 6-30 was the slapping into reality that change is needed.

From Butch's standpoint, had he stayed, he would still have a job at Purdue as long as he wanted it. He is not a great coach, but he has credibility based on his time at Cincinnati and CMU. If I was another upper middle level team I would take a shot at him if I needed a coach. 84-54 is not bad at all.

 

[FirstDownB]

So many 'what ifs'. To land Jones in 2012, Purdue would have had to at least match the $3M Tennessee gave him, which was 50% more than they gave Hazell. If you're dealing in the alternate reality in which the AD, President, and BoT were willing to invest that heavily in football in 2012, you probably wouldn't have required a football summit to bring the facilities out of the dark ages. It probably would have been in the form of an ultimatum from Jones. If all that happened, I think he would have done ok here. Somewhere between Hope and Tiller probably.

I'd be resetting my expectations right about now if I were a Vols fan. Jones has won everywhere he's coached. They can keep their "two 9-win seasons in 5 years isn't good enough at Tennessee" mentality, and they will keep the revolving door swinging. As a program they are somewhere between Iowa and Penn State.

 

[RegionWarrior101]

So many 'what ifs'. To land Jones in 2012, Purdue would have had to at least match the $3M Tennessee gave him, which was 50% more than they gave Hazell. If you're dealing in the alternate reality in which the AD, President, and BoT were willing to invest that heavily in football in 2012, you probably wouldn't have required a football summit to bring the facilities out of the dark ages. It probably would have been in the form of an ultimatum from Jones. If all that happened, I think he would have done ok here. Somewhere between Hope and Tiller probably.

I'd be resetting my expectations right about now if I were a Vols fan. Jones has won everywhere he's coached. They can keep their "two 9-win seasons in 5 years isn't good enough at Tennessee" mentality, and they will keep the revolving door swinging. As a program they are somewhere between Iowa and Penn State.

I agree. I think, personally, it is a quick hook. It is one abysmal year for sure and maybe the 1-3 October last season played a role. I also agree they may be like a Penn State where they have the 1 special season out of 6 years. As long as Saban is in that conference you are playing for 2nd.

 

[TheBoris]

Butch Jones had a couple of good years at Tennessee with kids he didn't recruit, but the wheels came off once Jones' recruits became Jrs and Srs. So Purdue actually "wised up" a year earlier than UT did.

My hunch is that UT will hire Chip Kelly and IMHO that will be a great choice for them. He's probably the best coach out there who isn't named Saban.

 

[Wolegib]

I believe Jones would have produced a 5-6 win season his first year. and he probably would have followed that up with 6-7 wins in subsequent years.

my thinking is Hazell arrived to Purdue late. He didn't assess our team's talent and made a bunch of recruiting mistakes. Hazell had about 6-8 weeks upon taking the job before the recruiting signing deadline, and he actually was responsible for adding 12 recruits to Hope's class that first year . if you look at that class, almost half of it were Hazell's recruits. And Hazell brought zero recruits from his previous team. I have to believe Jones would have brought a couple of his recruits with him, would have arrived earlier, and would have done a better job of finding players to fill in the holes. We could have won a few more games in Hazell's first year if we had made some halftime adjustments and didn't tire out in the 4th quarter. Hazell's last three recruits his first year were RBs Dawkins and Byars, and DB Jemmison. Nothing against those three players, but they didn't address a need. In a class of 23 recruits, there was only one 2* OL - Jason Tretter. I have to believe Jones would have had a more balanced first year recruiting class and would have found a couple more linemen. .

I also believe Jones would have a QB coach, and Etlin would have become a capable starting QB, and we would not have this constant revolving door at QB. I believe that revolving door has contributed to a lot of our problems. having a leader on the field like Brees covered up a lot of deficiencies. Brees didn't have a lot more talent than what Hope left for Hazell.

and by winning 5-6 games his first year, I believe Jones would have continued that pattern.

Morgan would still have retired. Would Purdue have invested in their new facility? I believe Jones would have demanded that a new facility would take his 6-6 team to an 8-4 level. I have real doubts that jones would have anything better than a 7-5 season. but with Etlin at Qb, an actual offensive line, and some receivers who could catch the ball, I believe jones could have produced several 6-6 and 7-5 seasons.

 

[PaBoiler78]

I believe Jones would have produced a 5-6 win season his first year. and he probably would have followed that up with 6-7 wins in subsequent years.

my thinking is Hazell arrived to Purdue late. He didn't assess our team's talent and made a bunch of recruiting mistakes. Hazell had about 6-8 weeks upon taking the job before the recruiting signing deadline, and he actually was responsible for adding 12 recruits to Hope's class that first year . if you look at that class, almost half of it were Hazell's recruits. And Hazell brought zero recruits from his previous team. I have to believe Jones would have brought a couple of his recruits with him, would have arrived earlier, and would have done a better job of finding players to fill in the holes. We could have won a few more games in Hazell's first year if we had made some halftime adjustments and didn't tire out in the 4th quarter. Hazell's last three recruits his first year were RBs Dawkins and Byars, and DB Jemmison. Nothing against those three players, but they didn't address a need. In a class of 23 recruits, there was only one 2* OL - Jason Tretter. I have to believe Jones would have had a more balanced first year recruiting class and would have found a couple more linemen. .

I also believe Jones would have a QB coach, and Etlin would have become a capable starting QB, and we would not have this constant revolving door at QB. I believe that revolving door has contributed to a lot of our problems. having a leader on the field like Brees covered up a lot of deficiencies. Brees didn't have a lot more talent than what Hope left for Hazell.

and by winning 5-6 games his first year, I believe Jones would have continued that pattern.

Morgan would still have retired. Would Purdue have invested in their new facility? I believe Jones would have demanded that a new facility would take his 6-6 team to an 8-4 level. I have real doubts that jones would have anything better than a 7-5 season. but with Etlin at Qb, an actual offensive line, and some receivers who could catch the ball, I believe jones could have produced several 6-6 and 7-5 seasons.

put me down as Jones being a consistent 6-7 win season guy for us.

 

[peytonrules]

Butch Jones had a couple of good years at Tennessee with kids he didn't recruit, but the wheels came off once Jones' recruits became Jrs and Srs. So Purdue actually "wised up" a year earlier than UT did.

My hunch is that UT will hire Chip Kelly and IMHO that will be a great choice for them. He's probably the best coach out there who isn't named Saban.

Sounds like a bidding where between Florida and Tennessee is getting ready to start for Chip Kelly.

 

[TheBoris]

Sounds like a bidding where between Florida and Tennessee is getting ready to start for Chip Kelly.

I'm now hearing Jon Gruden to UT.

 

[nat100]

I'm now hearing Jon Gruden to UT.

Jon Gruden has been attached to every high profile college and pro job for the last 5 years. Ill believe that one when i see it.

Someone said a Jets coordinator was being mentioned.

 

[TheBoris]

Jon Gruden has been attached to every high profile college and pro job for the last 5 years. Ill believe that one when i see it.

Yeah but this sounds like a serious mating dance......

https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2017/1...bout-joining-him-at-tennessee-coaching-search

 

[nat100]

Yeah but this sounds like a serious mating dance......

https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2017/1...bout-joining-him-at-tennessee-coaching-search

This is like Les Miles last year. Remember when Doug Griffiths tweeted Purdue was close to hiring Miles? Or Espn reported it was Fleck?

 

[Bullwhip Griffith]

This is like Les Miles last year. Remember when Doug Griffiths tweeted Purdue was close to hiring Miles? Or Espn reported it was Fleck?

Wonder if Fleck will listen to suitors

 

[TheBoris]

This is like Les Miles last year.

No. it's not the same. Gruden has been to Knoxville three times in recent weeks and his son is a student at UT. Plus he's sniffing out asst coaches.

 

[Purdue85]

I remember the photos of the cloudy day and Butch being led around on the Purdue tarmac by M organ Burke. He heard us out and went to Tennessee for a better deal, we got Darrell Hazell and know the rest.

I was mulling this question yesterday as I heard Butch had been let go. I think first off, he would have obviously been a better hire than what we got. Hope's recruiting wasn't great but I would like to think we would have been more competitive. At the same token I think we would have never gotten into that abyss and hit rock bottom- he would have been hovering around .500 enough to force no need for that football summit and all the new toys we have like lights, performance complex, etc.

For arguments sake, I think we would have been something like:

2013 - 4-8 (1-11)
2014 - 6-6 (3-9)
2015 - 7-5 (2-10)
2016 - 8-4 (3-9)
2017 - 7-3 (4-6)

The perk of going 6-30 was the slapping into reality that change is needed.

From Butch's standpoint, had he stayed, he would still have a job at Purdue as long as he wanted it. He is not a great coach, but he has credibility based on his time at Cincinnati and CMU. If I was another upper middle level team I would take a shot at him if I needed a coach. 84-54 is not bad at all.

Butch would have been gone by now.

He was chasing $$$$.

Nothing wrong with that, but I'd prefer to have a coach with something different in mind. Time will tell if that's Brohm.

 

[nat100]

No. it's not the same. Gruden has been to Knoxville three times in recent weeks and his son is a student at UT. Plus he's sniffing out asst coaches.

http://footballscoop.com/news/the-chatter-at-tennessee/