10. Butch Jones – Tennessee
Record at School
30-21
Ranking Justification
Considering the sheer amount of talent at Tennessee it’s not unreasonable to have hoped for more from Butch Jones. The Volunteers looked to have finally put it together last year before an overtime loss to Texas A&M sent their season spiraling.
Jones is great at getting red in the face, but not so effective at winning the big games. One could go as far as to argue that Tennessee’s 9-4 record in 2016 could have been much worse if the ball had not bounced as favorably as it did. He’s not a bad coach, but he’s not elite either.
Worst Loss
There was not shame in losing back to back games to two teams in the inaugural 2016 playoff ranks. Losing to a sub .500 South Carolina, now that’s concerning.
Best Win
This dominant win catapulted the Vols into the preseason top 10.