There may not be a more despised coach in college athletics than Butch Jones.
The Embattled Tennessee Volunteers head coach continues to make himself look like the worst kind of a coach a program could be cursed with. His time in Knoxville makes Billy Gillespie’s disastrous stay in Lexington look fun and enjoyable.
Unfortunately for the Vols, their nightmare is still a reality, and it’s only getting worse for fans, media, alumni, and especially current players. Among those affected is Tennessee starting tackle Brett Kendrick, who reportedly played almost the entire second half vs the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday with a concussion.
Let me say that again: In today’s hyper-sensitive football culture to the dangers of concussions and how much damage they do to the human body, Jones allegedly allowed a concussed player to remain in the game and risk further damage to his brain, all for the sake of giving the Vols a better chance to beat the Cats and save Jones’ job.
Thankfully, Stephen Johnson had other plans, and it appears Kendrick made it out of the game without incurring more serious damage.
Now, of course Jones has denied these allegations, and he may deserve the benefit of the doubt if this were the first reported incident of foul coaching under his watch.
Oh, but it’s faaaar from being that. In fact, seeing this report of Jones playing a concussed player wasn’t surprising at all. This is just the latest in a long history of reported infractions by Jones affecting player health and safety.
One of the most egregious accusations that multiple players have accused him of is hitting players.
Then again, that doesn’t hold a prayer to Jones allegedly calling a player a 'traitor' for helping a rape victim. That was part of a major rape scandal that Jones and his program were involved in, which he somehow managed to keep his job in spite of.
Letting this man continue to coach just feels wrong on so many levels.