VTTW Board Index

From what I've heard, as many as four assistants could be out after the season are over. I certainly hope Mahoney and DeBord are at the top of the list, and that Azzani isn't far behind.

IMO, if Butch is going to be a long-term coach here and win championships, he has to be willing to make major changes to what he's currently doing. Staff changes would be a good start. (Being a little less stubborn with his freakin' offense would be a good second step.)

I'm not sure at this point that Butch is going to be around, and it will be by his own choice.  Just can't handle the pressure. 

It wouldn't surprise me. I'm not sure he's going to get anything close to a decent offer anywhere...but given the strain he appears (by his own actions) to be under, it might not matter.

That'd be interesting. Hopefully whatever powers that be are ready.

I'd be really surprised if Butch walked away from another $4 million.  Plus he's a competitor. I will be very surprised if he quits.

Considering that the new chancellor has not been hired and the search for a new AD has not officially started, I just do not see Butch getting any pressure to quit or be fired. That is not to say that behind the scenes, Butch has not been told that his job is on the line unless staff changes happen. The new chancellor and AD hires will have zero loyalty to him. The fact that offensive players are leaving during the season may be causing him to answer questions to his supervisors. JMO but I think ego prevents him from altering his offensive scheme. So if he keeps DeBord as OC, Butch will not make it to the end of his contract. JMO

Next year is critical for Butch, to be sure.  The only way I see him out this year is consecutive losses to end the season.  Even then, he might stick around.  Dooley would have been let go after losing to UK in 2011 except that it was only his second year and the buyout was high, we didn't have much money due to all the spending by Hamilton and paying off Fulmer, and also Hart was in his first year.

Butch could lose both these next games and still be better than Dooley was in 2011.

Per the ESPN FPI, the odds of Tennessee losing both games is about 3%.  So, yeah, Butch is back next year.   :biggrin:

One other thing...I keep hearing how Butch is stubborn about his offensive scheme.  At the same time, there was considerable complaining about how Dobbs stayed in the pocket more this year earlier in the season.  Guess what?  Looks a lot like Butch did allow DeBord to tinker with the scheme...it just didn't work.  It may look like Butch is stubborn, but what is far more likely is that what we consider "Butch's scheme" is what fits Dobb's abilities best.

We also apparently tried a formaton called the "I-Flex" against Appy state to accommodate Hurd's whining about being an I-back.  It didn't work, and likely was a contributing factor in how close that game was.

So don't try to tell me Butch hasn't allowed the scheme to change.  One only has to have watched games this year to see that it did.  Oh yeah...that's another complaint I keep hearing.  "DeBord is running a boring Big 10 offense from 1987".

So..."Butch won't change the offense", "Dobbs is in the pocket too much", "DeBord is running an 80s big 10 offense" and the I-flex stuff from the Appy state game, just CANNOT all be true at the same time. 

No offense, but I love how fans think they know what actually goes on in coaches meetings.   :biggrin:

If CBJ isn't here next season it will because he decided to leave....I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. If he is here in 2017 he needs to rebuild most of his staff in the off-season and let Shoops hire what's needed on defense. I'm not sure Butch and Shoops get along real good.