Tennessee coach Butch Jones needs a win on Saturday.

As the Vols prepare for a rivalry week game at Vanderbilt, Jones looks to prove that his “brick by brick” rebuilding plan is a success in his second season. Tennessee is one game away from earning bowl eligibility for the first time since 2010.

With a victory, Jones presents evidence that his program is making progress by surpassing its maximum win total from the past four seasons. It’s a slow process, but the second-year coach is restoring glory in Knoxville.

Tennessee has improved from a talent standpoint, with several players ranking among the SEC statistical leaders. That much has been evident all season, even in close losing efforts to inferior competition. The Vols are young, with only six seniors listed on their two-deep depth chart for Week 14, and lacked experience to make a dramatic leap in 2014.

Tennessee has a talented freshman class, including standouts such as Jalen Hurd — the team’s leading rusher — and Derek Barnett, who holds the school freshman sack record (9.0). The Vols are a team on the rise, just ask SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum. During a live broadcast of the show “SEC Nation” from Tennessee’s campus, Finebaum praised Jones’ effort and predicted big things for the program.

“I wasn’t sure they could get to .500 to get to bowl eligibility,” Finebaum said. “They’re about to do that and they’ll continue to do that. The energy on this campus and what Butch Jones is doing has impressed me. We’ve seen this all over the SEC this year, but I think this is the hottest program in the Southeastern Conference. I’m not sure about next year, but in two years this program will be playing in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.”

The perception of Tennessee football is changing. Jones has brought excitement to the ailing program and looks to restore its proud tradition as one of the SEC’s winningest teams. His success this season helps keep fan optimism high and should add to his dominance on the recruiting trail.

Despite finishing 5-7 in 2013, Jones signed a top-5 2014 recruiting class and is ranks No. 5 overall for 2015. Adding wins will provide another incentive for players to buy into his philosophy.

Coaching hires are judged based on improvement and Jones has proven his worth thus far. Since his hire in December 2012, Tennessee is a stronger program that should continue its progress moving forward.