Tennessee ended what some would call a tortuous search to hire its next head football coach today when Butch Jones, formerly of Cincinnati, stepped to the podium with an orange tie and a 'Power T' pin on his lapel to assume control of a program desperately in need of direction.

Today's press conference brought closure to a process that has had Tennessee fans on an emotional roller coaster since before word of Derek Dooley's dismissal became official nearly three weeks ago.

One of Jones' first tasks on the job, after meeting with his new team on campus, was to step in front of an array of media and boosters in the Peyton Manning locker room and impress upon anyone who might think otherwise, that he was in fact, the right man for the job.

Jones deftly handled the inevitable question regarding the well publicized fact that he apparently wasn't Tennessee's first choice, getting the offer only after several other candidates had interviewed and one day after Louisville's Charlie Strong turned the job down.

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