KNOXVILLE — Butch Jones is not happy with a 3-4 start. Nor should he be.

It’s the third time he’s stared at that record. In 2014, the Vols rallied to finish 7-6. In 2015, they finished 9-4.

The fifth-year Tennessee coach said that he wants to “make sure it is very clear that Tennessee is not OK with being 3-4 and that, I, Butch Jones, am not OK with being 3-4.”

Jones said he is “disappointed with our performance” with his teams’ lack of offensive production lately, but he does see “things in small increments that are positive” and that the offense is “making progress.” He says “unfortunately it doesn’t show up on game day” and is “something we have to work our way through.”

“It’s discipline, execution, situational football and it’s big plays,” he said of his offense that has scored 36 points in conference play. “You try to look at anything to give yourself an opportunity, but again we have to score points in this conference, which we have not been able to do. We will continue to go back to work and do everything in our power possible.”

Tennessee’s offense has not scored an offensive touchdown in 14 consecutive quarters dating to the second quarter against UMass on Sept. 23. The Vols are averaging 289.7 yards per game resulting in the 126th overall offense nationally (108th rushing, 112th passing). Only Wyoming, BYU, Kent State and UTEP are averaging fewer yards per game in the FBS.

With the offensive woes, Jones was asked on the possibility of changing play-callers ahead of the Kentucky game to possibly provide a spark.

“No, not at all,” he said.

“I evaluate everything in our program every single day, starting with me, first and foremost,” Jones said. “That includes our coaches and our discipline to execute.

“I see progress. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen it on game day. It’s one of those things where it is an execution-like deal. You just have to continue to work and it will come to fruition at some point.”

Jones says that he studies game-tape video and watches all film from the week of practice to determine whether there is a particular problem that is causing the offense’s lack of execution.

“I think it’s breakdowns at each position group at unfortunate times in the game,” he said. “So much of offensive football is timing, and then I think just the ability to go up and make a play. If you watch games, whether it’s Saturdays or Sundays, it’s just going out and playing football sometimes and making plays. Our players understand that.

“We have some good football players. I foresee in the near future that they’re going to make plays because I know what I see in practice every day. I see a very determined group, a group that works exceptionally hard, and they want to do well. They work each and every day and that’s all you can do, is keep demanding from it in practice and stay the course and eventually, good things will happen.”

The three-game losing streak — by a combined 101-16 margin — has taken its toll.

Senior offensive lineman Brett Kendrick says that “these last three games have been tough for us, but I still think there are good things going on in this program.”

“We just have to step up on offense and know that if we win these next five games, we are 8-4 again,” Kendrick said following the loss to Alabama. “We’ll get to go to a good bowl game and hopefully get a win there. I don’t think it’s all bad right now. I don’t think the sky is falling. It’s just raining a little bit.”