Tennessee coach Butch Jones considers his ride key when it comes to the rough-and-tumble world of college football recruiting.

Jones spoke at Mercedes-Benz of Knoxville on Friday morning and made clear his car matters when trying to woo a recruit.

“Kids judge you by your car,” Jones said via the Knoxville News Sentinel. “It’s crazy.”

On this surface, this seems a little strange. Really, judging a coach by his car? But it makes sense that Jones would do everything in his power to leave a positive impression.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Jones drives a Mercedes-Benz SLS with a sticker price of $221,580. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn bought a BMW i8 in March and gave recruit Tray Bishop a ride, a move that drew attention.

“It’s crazy, but that’s the world we live in, selling (and) trying to create those impressions,” Jones said. “So that’s very important.”

Hey, if fancy wheels lead to big wins later, why not go all out?

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Courtesy of Best Car Magazine