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there’Äôs been a football team here.
The Tennessee fan base expects
to win. Under that kind of pres-
sure, what are the challenges
of turning a program around?
BJ:
There are a number of chal-
lenges, but I think every challenge
presents a great opportunity. Let’Äôs
remember, this is one of the most
storied football programs in all of
college football. Since 1927, Tennes-
see is still the all-time winningest
college football program in the
country. We have the best fans in
the country. You want to be some-
where where there are high expecta-
tions for your football program.
I think it helps that this is third
time I’Äôve taken over a program,
and it’Äôs the third time my staff has
done this. We’Äôve been there. We
may have taken over some pro-
grams that have won before, but
nobody knows the infrastructure
that was in place when we took
over at those other two places.
I also think losing is a disease.
There are some ills here, but we’Äôre on
the mend. Look at the commitment
from our administration, at our pas-
sionate fan base, at our facilities, our
academic reputation, our campus
life. The University of Tennessee
football team is a national brand.
CV:
Who are your coaching heroes?
BJ:
I don’Äôt know about heroes’Äîbut
I would say I have a lot of mentors.
I’Äôve been blessed and fortunate to
not only have worked for some very
good head football coaches, but also
with a lot of really good assistants. I
think you try to take bits and pieces
from every individual that you
work for or work with’Äîand then
you mold your own philosophy.
My career started in the National
Football League. [Former New York
Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
and Alabama Crimson Tide head
football coach] Ray Perkins was
a mentor. I worked with former
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive
coordinator and Rutgers head
coach Doug Grayber. Mike DeBord
had a big influence on me’Äîhe
was the head coach at Central
Michigan, a longtime assistant at
the University of Michigan, and
then in the NFL with the Seattle
Seahawks and the Chicago Bears.
[Current University of Arizona]
Coach Rich Rodriguez taught me
a lot. [Current Notre Dame] Coach
Brian Kelly taught me a lot.
Coaching is a small profes-
sion’Äîand I have many close friends
with whom I share ideas. Not just
football coaches’ÄîErik Spoelstra,
the head coach of the Miami Heat,
is a very good friend of mine now.
CV:
You are known as a 21st-century
coach’Äîboth with your offensive
schemes and your embrace of social
media. As a coach, how impor-
tant is it to embrace innovation?
BJ:
I think what makes successful
football coaches, businessmen,
and CEOs is the ability to adapt and
adjust to sudden change. Social
media is part of the world today, so
all of our coaches use it. You have
to find different ways to get your
message across. I’Äôm a traditional-
ist by heart, but I also understand
that you have to be flexible and
you have to try to stay one step
ahead of your competition.
I’Äôm always trying to improve our
football program. I challenge our
coaches. I believe in constant and
never-ending improvement. I meet
withmy coaches every year and I ask
them to self-assess. How are they
better today than they were last year?
I think you have to constantly strive
for growth. Most people in society
are satisfied with being average.
We are not going to be average.
CV:
What are your thoughts
about the Volunteers’Äô rivalries
with Alabama and Florida?
BJ:
I understand the rivalries. I
know rivalries are important. Every
game is important, but we need to
win a few of the rivalry games.
CV:
When Butch Jones has coached
his last football game, how do
you want to be remembered?
BJ:
I want to make a difference
in the lives of the individuals we
have come in contact with through
our football program. We need to
remember that college football is
not just entertainment. It is part of
the educational fabric of our institu-
tions. We are dealing with young
men who are going to be future
fathers, futures husbands, and
future leaders’Äîwe can never lose
sight of that. If we stay focused,
wins will come. Having a relation-
ship with our players doesn’Äôt last
three or four or five years. The
relationship last a lifetime. That’Äôs
what coaching is all about.
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