The five years before Butch this was UT's record each season: 5-7, 7-6, 6-7, 5-7, 5-7. So two bowl games and four losing seasons. Not a single one of the freshman, sophomores, or juniors that Butch inherited was drafted. For 51 straight years we had a player drafted until 2015. Then we did it again last year while being the ONLY SEC school without a player drafted. So I think a lot of you forget just how truly awful we had become with the constant turnover in coaching for the 5 years prior to Butch. UT was an irrelevant, bad football program when he took over at the end of 2012.
The losses to USC and Vandy are unacceptable and there's no doubt this football team was a disappointment this year, but firing Butch isn't the answer. Butch and this team really blew this season, but starting over isn't the answer. We played this season without so many guys that it has to be taken into account. We basically played without Maybin all year, Sutton is back but not 100%. Kirkland basically didn't play last night again, and we've basically been without him all season. We're playing without 4 of our top 5 defensive tackles since Alabama (I'm considering Johnson one of our top 5). We played USC without 3 of our 4 captains. I have my doubts about Butch, but one disappointing year shouldn't result in firing your coach when there's been tangible improvements and the hill was so steep.
The losses to USC and Vandy are unacceptable and there's no doubt this football team was a disappointment this year, but firing Butch isn't the answer. Butch and this team really blew this season, but starting over isn't the answer. We played this season without so many guys that it has to be taken into account. We basically played without Maybin all year, Sutton is back but not 100%. Kirkland basically didn't play last night again, and we've basically been without him all season. We're playing without 4 of our top 5 defensive tackles since Alabama (I'm considering Johnson one of our top 5). We played USC without 3 of our 4 captains. I have my doubts about Butch, but one disappointing year shouldn't result in firing your coach when there's been tangible improvements and the hill was so steep.
