Sitting on the curb, six rows deep in the middle of orange-clad Tennessee fans eagerly awaiting the season's first Vol Walk, Kenny Smith offered three words in regards to his stance on first-year UT coach Butch Jones.
“I’m full Butch,” the 58-year-old Knoxville native quipped without hesitation.
Smith’s statement seems to classify where most Vol fans stand in regards to Jones.
But why?
A fan base that had become accustomed to showing up on Saturdays and witnessing a Volunteer victory during its run of success in the 90s and early 2000s has been forced to endure one of the worst rough patches in team history.
But that hasn’t scared off Vol faithful.
“We’re a loyal fan base and I think many fans don’t expect this to be a big winning year,” said Toni Howard, a Chattanooga native. “But we just want to see improvement and I believe by the end of the year, we’ll see that.”
As many as 90,000 tickets were pre-sold in advance for the season opener for the Volunteers against Austin Peay on Saturday, and an announced total of 97,169 filled the bleachers of Neyland Stadium for Tennessee's 45-0 victory.
According to Logan Blevins, a 2012 UT graduate, the recent trend toward receding crowds is a concern that will solve itself.
But Blevins isn’t sure how long that will take.
“I’m a little nervous about it because we have a new coach and the fan base is a little low but I’m excited for the season,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have a good reaction to getting a new coach and new coaching staff but honestly I’m still a little nervous going into it.
“I think if Butch wins though, it’ll change that completely.”
Social media was an emphasis during the offseason for Jones and his coaching staff, and many Tennessee fans said the interaction from the staff helped increase their enthusiasm and approval of Jones.
Jones boasts more than 87,000 followers on Twitter, third most among college football coaches.
“I try to surround myself with the positivity, especially on social media, from this staff because this isn’t going to happen overnight,” said Don McLain of Kingsport. “But that’s ok because you already get a sense that they care about what they’re doing and this is like a family thing.
“Fans see that and we’re buying in and I think that speaks volumes.”
Success, according to many polled, will be dictated more by improvement than a high win total.
At least for this season, according to Lynne Taylor, a Nashville native.
“I’m feeling good,” said Taylor, who has witnessed multiple Vol shortcomings and triumphs in Neyland Stadium over the past five years. “We’re going to be more disciplined and I think we’ve got a good coach.
“He seems like he’s genuine and I like the fact that he’s come from humble beginnings and I felt proud for him as he walked down the street here. I can’t imagine what was going through his head as he saw all these people.”
About the Author
