What in the world is Vols AD John Currie waiting for?
KNOXVILLE — Following just the second loss to Kentucky since 1984, two things are quite clear to most who follow and support the Tennessee football program: Change must occur, and that fact is being ignored by people in position of power.
Butch Jones now stands at 33-26 (14-23 in the SEC) during his five seasons on Rocky Top and has now lost to South Carolina twice, Vanderbilt and Kentucky in the past 14 games.
If we’re not confident in an interim, that means CBJ hired crappy assts. U should always hire folks just as good or better than you. https://t.co/HrpzhFYgro
— Jayson Swain (@SwainEvent) October 29, 2017
Change is inevitable at this point and some Volunteers faithful began asking for it following losing to South Carolina and Vanderbilt in the second half of last season.
Others came on board a little later, following a last second loss at Florida this season. Then more voiced their displeasure after an uninspiring effort from Team 121 in a four-point win over UMass.
The next week resulted in an embarrassing 41-0 loss to Georgia, the first shutout loss the program has endured since 1994.
The time to make a change was after the Georgia game with an off week before hosting South Carolina. But Jones stayed. Having an interim head coach at that time was the fair thing to do for the student athletes going forward.
Yet first-year athletics director John Currie went silent and did not address the problems, on and off the field. Numerous incidents on top of losing games in Year 5 are fireable offenses that should have mandated immediate change.
Currie, big money boosters and University board of trustees have let down the team, alumni, fans and former players by not acting in at least a public response regarding the state of the football program.
Their silence is screaming they are bigger than the program.
Geez, Paul Finebaum didn't hold back when asked to assess Butch Jones' status at Tennessee pic.twitter.com/UmtCtzOec3
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) October 22, 2017
The lack of response from people in power has alumni such as Paul Finebaum to use his SEC Network platform to question whether Tennessee is willing to accept mediocrity – or worse. After a 29-26 loss at Kentucky a losing culture is now being accepted at Tennessee.
John Currie stood on the field like a statue as players ran to the locker room. To be in his head right now… #Vols pic.twitter.com/oQ1MQyyUJI
— Emily Proud (@emprosports) October 21, 2017
John Currie was one of last members of Tennessee’s program to leave the field again today, walked off with future headliner Trey Smith. pic.twitter.com/tlv6v66Cof
— Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) October 29, 2017
Currie has made an on-field appearance the past two games at Alabama and Kentucky, but that is not good enough in communicating to the ones who sacrifice time and money to help fund the program and former players wanting answers so that the program can get back to a position to contend.
With Currie’s social media footprint and presence of trying to be transparent in the public’s eye, he should understand silence is not the answer.
He was part of the administration that forced outPhillip Fulmer as head coach in 2008, now he must act in cleaning up the mediocrity that he helped create a decade ago. The way to do that is to address the many questions, starting with why he has allowed this season to go in the direction that it has. He needs to take control of the situation.
When Currie was hired , he said that he has “a learning curve” and “I’ve also got a reacquaintance curve, and I’m going to get after it.”
He spoke of his colleagues and friends Scott Stricklin at Florida, who just removed Jim McElwain, and Greg Byrne at Alabama.
“One of the disadvantages is when you’re at a place for a while and you’re part of decisions or stuff like that, you do hurt some feelings or whatever,” Currie said. “There’s also the advantage that you know a lot of folks, too. My two good buddies, Greg (Byrne) and Scott (Stricklin), that took the Alabama and Florida jobs, they’ve never been at those places. They’ve got a learning curve.”
It didn’t take Stricklin long to know he’d seen enough. Soon, Florida will have a new football coach.
Tennessee? Stuck in limbo.
The Vols now turn the page with focus on a homecoming matchup against Southern Miss. Many alumni will return to campus this week, offering their unwavering support. It’s time for Currie to give them something worth supporting.
Well if he’s a good AD, he has a plan and executing it for the best of the University. Fans want immediate change, but sometimes patience for things like buyouts and secret coach searches should be warranted.
You’re spot on Weagle99. Some fans and virtually all reporters think they should set the time schedule on things such as this. The arrogance of media members know no bounds.
Weagle99 brings up a very good, and timely, point about change and the instant gratification society we live in now. Why rush this and cause more undue harm to an already volatile situation? We can all agree that Butch Jones is likely not going to be the head coach here for much longer but what do we have to call for a coach to be fired mid-season? If the media would stop creating a narrative that people with pitch forks are salivating for, this sort of thing wouldn’t even be a story. Since when do we, fans, get to create this artificial timeline on when a coach should be fired? Last I checked, this is still a job like any other with managers that choose to do what’s best for the university and their program regardless of what the media and the fan base “think” should happen. Let the professionals handle this and the media should report the news not create it. Emotional decision making shouldn’t be the path to fixing this issue.
Secret coaches search? What? Did I read that right? I have patience for a new coach. What I dont have patience for is watching that crew cut idiot on the sidelines making my vols look bad week by week. Everyone knows its coming. Remember when Dooley was fired after Kentucky loss, that team saved face and won remainder of their games. With Jones at the healm,highly doubt they win another game even against Southern Miss.
The thing is chipper, no one and I mean NO NONE gives a crap what you and the rest of the skoal patrol has patients for. Now go play in traffic.
My guess is, cbj has the best chance to get the team bowl eligable.
Scott Stricklin acted in how an AD should act by firing McElwain. Currie is yes man. What a disgrace he is!
Vols98 you know this how? You know the conversations and terms being discussed behind the scene? Damn you’re connected big time. Can you share some of this secret information with the rest of us? And since you have such great connections to the program why aren’t you writing for ESPN?
And Stricklin and UF did such a great job huh? I’m sure the players really appreciated learning of their coach being fired via Twitter. Pure class that Stricklin fella huh?
According to an acquaintance of mine with contacts inside the UAA, the players were called to a meeting yesterday morning. They knew. Those who say otherwise must have missed the meeting.
That said, it’s hilarious to hear young people who communicate almost exclusively through Twitter complaining about learning something through Twitter.
There are certain things that should be told in person. To say otherwise is foolish.
Either your friend is wrong or Del Rio is wrong. Or maybe they called everyone on the team except Del Rio? LOL
Lol good point!
The two situations are different now, because of McElwain. He gave Florida an opportunity to save some money. If he wasn’t such a doofus, he would likely still be there until the end of the season. If Butch came out and said something stupid which would allow the University to fire him for cause, he would be gone in a heartbeat.
Why or how would firing him now hinder the coach search and what is there to possibly gain by leaving him in place as a lame duck coach. If the answers are it doesn’t and nothing then that tells me Currie is still considering not firing him and if that is the case then Currie should fired along with jones. Good lord! End this nightmare now!
There are a plethora of reasons to fire him right now. Primarily financial. If Jones stays 1, 2 or more games it really doesn’t matter in the long run. But if it allows for negotiations to better things for UT shouldn’t he do that? Don’t let some arbitrary time frame get you upset. It’s a non issue.
Doesnt really matter in the long run? Beefeater you have been eating too many hotdogs once again. Jones has already lost some recruits already, the media and the rest of the SEC continue to poke fun at UT over this issue which adds more to it. Fire his bumb ass and search for a new coach. There are 5 ex head coaches on the staff. Leaving Jones in place only muddy the waters. You have no idea whats going on in Knoxville and I highly doubt you even live in Tennessee. All you do is jump on whatever bandwagon issue is at hand, just like when you was strokin Jones and Debords beefsticks last year. STFU and go back to cleaning the shatters boy.
LOL look at cowchip bringing his “knowledge”. How on earth would firing Jones keep recruits committed? Duhhhh again chipper don’t drink the bong water just inhale the smoke.
Maybe Currie’s afraid to shoulder the task of finding a new head coach for Tennessee. I think he’s still hoping Butch will pull it out somehow and he won’t have to actually do anything.
Because you know whoever he finds won’t be good enough for Vol nation. Right now Butch is taking all of the heat. But once Butch is gone and it’s on Currie to find a replacement, all the heat will be on Currie.
The word is that Butch is gone but will coach this week. The problem is that the assistant coaches hate each other and can’t figure out who the interim coach will be. Currie looks bad in this situation. He needs to tell them who is in charge and move on. Supposedly, Butch may already have his next gig lined up. South Alabama.
Come on vol fans, 2 offensive tds this weekend. He is making real progress. Just trust the process. Long live Butch Jones!!
Know one but Curry knows what is going on behind the scenes and what he is thinking, we all have our own opinions about it, but just maybe Curry knows exactly what he is doing. He is the AD and I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope for the best. My opinion is like the majority of the fan base and Butch should have been fired yesterday, but like the majority of the fan base and the media I have never been in Curry’s position to make a decision as important as this one. Meanwhile I will be at the game with wife and two daughters and friends cheering on the Vols this weekend.
Um. A few people know what is going on behind the scenes. Boosters don’t sit idly by and give ADs full reign. Especially when they are going to be called on to help cover the buyout and chip in for the next coach. It’s just unfortunate that Vols fans are left out in the cold on what is going on. Currie would have better served himself to announce a decision would be made at the end of the season after UGA. That would have slowed the pissed off fans and Currie would have still had the option to fire Butch during the season if he needed too.
Agreed. I think that it is his lack of communication regarding the situation that bothers most fans. Many of us might not like what he has to say, but at least we would know that he is looking at the situation as opposed to hoping that he is.
Supposedly a plan is in place for a predecessor; however, no one on the staff wants to be the interim coach. There are others saying they are fighting over the opportunity. Either way the internal struggle put it all on hold until Currie could work through it all.
I hear Derek Dooley is a lock to be Butch’s predecessor.
The AD knows firing a coach mid season is a dirtbag move unless there are off the field issues. What if Tennessee wins the remainder of their games including beating LSU and getting to a bowl game?
Another stupid post 70. Firing mid season is called taking out the garbage.
What if they win out? It doesn’t matter one bit. Geez just stop posting or go post about your team. Maybe your teams fans will appreciate what you have to say.
What is stupid about my post?
You are a non-alum bandwagon fan so you would never understand University education.
Maybe you should stop posting?
Yeah I understand plenty of university educated folks. Have quite a few that work for me. If I have to explain the nonsense in your post then I think it is your education that is lacking.
Nice dodge of the question.
If Butch wins out and makes a bowl game… He should absolutely still be fired. There is nothing that can save his job at this point. I don’t care if he wins every remaining game 100-0. He’s gone.
How many of you Tenn fans bought a “Brick by Brick” t-shirt?
I’ll let y’all borrow a “BOOM” t-shirt, but I’ll want it back.
Good I ran out of TP at the camp.