http://www.purdueexponent.org/sports/article_ed54e289-c703-5363-89a5-854ac2895bde.html
I know that we are ahead of Purdue but I think their questions are relevant to anyone he will be coaching. Q&A: Getting to know Butch Jones
Posted: Friday, November 30, 2012 10:00 am | Updated: 7:42 pm, Sun Dec 2, 2012.
By Travis Baugh | Assistant Sports Editor
The Exponent talked to Josh Miller, the sports editor for the Cincinnati student newspaper, The News Record, to discuss Cincinnati head coach Butch Jones, who appears to be the frontrunner for Purdue’s coaching vacancy.
The Exponent: Cincinnati sports talk show personality Andy Furman tweeted that Jones will be the next Purdue coach. What kind of buzz has been around Jones and the Purdue job on campus?
Miller: To be honest, there has been a lot more buzz about coach Jones and the possibility that he would take the Kentucky job, which has since been filled by Mark Stoops, or the vacant Tennessee job. With all due respect, the general feel around campus is that the Purdue job would be a step down from Cincinnati based upon the recent success here.
However, this is a university that has lost two very successful head coaches in the past decade in similar situations, with Mark Dantonio going to Michigan State and more notably, Brian Kelly who is about to play in a national championship game with Notre Dame. Part of the culture here is to be concerned about any job opening a UC (University of Cincinnati) coach is linked to, so whether it’s a step up or down there is definitely a lot of concern about Jones being connected to the Purdue job. Not getting into the ACC this week has kicked the concern up a notch as well.
The Exponent: After going 4-8 in 2010, Cincinnati has a 18-6 record under Jones. Is this a product of inheriting a lot of talent from former coach Brian Kelly, or does Jones receive a bulk of the credit?
Miller: Cincinnati’s success during the last two seasons is by no means a product of inheriting talent. The cupboard was very bare when Butch got to UC; I believe there were only a handful of seniors on the team in Jones’ first season. Obviously, there were five or six NFL caliber players left over from the Brian Kelly era, but the overall depth on the UC roster was very poor. He also recruited what most around here consider to be Cincinnati’s best ever recruiting class.
The Exponent: Is Jones perceived to be a players’ coach, or what kind of view do the Bearcats seem to have of him?
Miller: From the time I’ve spent at practices and camps, I can tell you that he runs a tough practice, but it seems as if more players than not view him in a positive light.
The Exponent: Cincinnati has struggled to fill the 35,097-seat Nippert Stadium. Does Jones have fans excited about the program?
Miller: It’s an issue Jones has harped on quite a bit since he’s been here. UC is a very unique situation because the football program here was very poor for a long time, but the last five, six or seven years have been extremely successful, including an undefeated season and a couple of BCS bowl berths. As a result, a lot of the fan base here is relatively new and aren’t as inclined to come to games that don’t carry much weight.
