Currie impressed by Jones' commitment, contract not the current focus
MEMPHIS — With coaching and administrative hires to make, Tennessee athletics director John Currie has not had much free time since stepping on campus.
The same goes for football coach Butch Jones.
Between satellite camps and recruiting, Jones' time on campus has been infrequent in the four months since Currie was hired. Conflicting schedules has made it difficult for the two to meet with any regularity, but they have made it a point to speak as often as possible — even if it requires an informal office visit.
“A lot of times it's just me showing up in his office or him showing up in my office, just coming down at the end of the day," Currie said before Sunday's Big Orange Caravan stop in Memphis.
Jones confirmed the trouble in getting any significant time to sit down, but said they have been to dinner since Currie was hired and had “a lot” of phone conversations.
Those conversations haven't included a possible extension for Jones. The fifth-year UT coach received a $500,000 raise at the end of the 2015 season, bumping his annual salary to $4.1 million. His contract is set to expire after the 2020 season.
Currie said the focus of the program was on this coming season and a Sept. 4 matchup with Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
“We have not had any specific conversations about that,” Currie said about a contract extension.
“We've had a lot of conversations about our program,” he added. “But we're really focused on getting ready for the season, doing a great job in recruiting — as he is doing — and getting to know each other. I'm thrilled. I couldn't be more pleased with being able to work with Coach Jones. He cares so much.”
While Jones and Currie have not sat down for many serious discussions. Jones' agent Trace Armstrong had multiple conversations with former AD Dave Hart regarding Jones' contract and has had some contact with Currie since his arrival in April.
While Currie has not commented specifically on Jones' contract, sources told Volquest.com an extension is not completely off the table, and Currie made it clear to Volquest.com that he likes the direction of the football program.
“I think Tennessee football is in a great position," Currie told Volquest.com in an exclusive Q&A in May.
"I think coach Jones has provided tremendous leadership with the progression of our program the last four years. As you and I have talked before, candidly I didn't watch many games the last eight years. I caught a little of Bob Kesling and Tim Priest on the way home from a K-State game on Sirius, but I know how respected nationally the turnaround job and the rebuild has been under coach Jones' leadership. To be in a position we are in now from where we where. We were one “D” away or one “F” away from being on APR probation and being ineligible for the postseason to now having the highest APR in our history in addition to winning a bunch of games and three bowl games.
"I fully recognize we would like to be known as national champions and for having the highest APR in our history, but those two are not mutually exclusive things and building that solid foundation enables a lot of other great things to happen in the future.”
The long-time administrator said he's seen a lot of coaches who put in their work and are headed home once practice is over. Jones isn't one of them. Currie said each day after practice Jones is in the cafeteria, eating with a different table of players.
“One of the things that is very impressive to me, again, is a lot of football coaches at the end of the practice day, they haven't seen their kids, they got to the office at 6 a.m or 7 a.m or whatever, they're ready to go home,” he said.
“God bless Barb (Jones' wife) and their kids and their understanding of the job, because he is with our players at a different table every single night at dinner, sitting with a different group of players and making sure he's in tune with his student-athletes and spending time off the field and out of the film room with his players. I really appreciate that.”
Brent Hubbs contributed to the story