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Peyton Manning can’t escape questions about his opinion on Butch Jones and the Tennessee program. And with the former Tennessee star and two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback is set to be honored on Saturday, that talk only ramps up.
The fifth-year coach has drawn plenty of criticism and questions about his job security ahead of the Vols Saturday game against Georgia in Neyland Stadium. Manning offered his opinion on Friday during a meeting with Tennessee media, according to 247 Sports.
Manning will be honored at halftime of Saturday’s game for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame earlier this year. His parents, wife and kids were all set to join him this weekend.
“I’m always proud to be an ambassador. I am certainly a donor, supporter. I’m a fan, but I’m not an analyst. There’s plenty of those out there,” Manning said. “Obviously I get asked a lot what’s the state of the union of Tennessee football. Hey, I am all in, I’m all behind him.
“I want nothing more than to win Saturday and kind of get the taste of the Florida and UMass — that maybe was not as great a game as we’d like — out of our mouths, and beating Georgia sure would solve a lot of those problems. I have enjoyed these past two years being able to get back for more games. I went to three games last year. I was at the Georgia Tech game. I’m excited to be here this weekend.
Manning said he talks and texts with Jones, and he keeps up with the program to answer questions and offer support.
“I’m just a huge fan and I pull hard and I bleed orange,” Manning said. “I’m just proud of the way the guys, I think, do appreciate the history of this place as well. Coach Jones is always bringing guys back and he has embraced the history of Fulmer and Majors and Dickey and Neyland, and that’s important, I think.”
Manning reportedly personally called each of the eight living Tennessee members of the Hall of Fame — Phillip Fulmer, Johnny Majors, Doug Dickey, Bob Johnson, Frank Emanuel, Chip Kell and Steve Kiner, along with the daughter of John Michels — and asked them to join him on the field with him during the ceremony.
Manning said Jones wakes up each day and “eats, sleeps and breathes” Tennessee football.
“I get texts from him at all hours about some concept or a philosophy, and he is all in and I like the fact that our coach is that engaged and all in.
“I appreciate that about him, and I’m pulling hard for him.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
