Butch Jones says Tennessee's loss to Oklahoma in 2015 still 'haunts' him
One of the worst losses that the Tennessee Vols have suffered over the last decade came early in 2015. Tennessee had a playoff caliber team in 2015, but an early season-loss to the Oklahoma Sooners — a game that UT essentially dominated — quickly ended those hopes. The Vols led Oklahoma 17-3 entering the fourth […]
One of the worst losses that the Tennessee Vols have suffered over the last decade came early in 2015.
Tennessee had a playoff caliber team in 2015, but an early season-loss to the Oklahoma Sooners — a game that UT essentially dominated — quickly ended those hopes.
The Vols led Oklahoma 17-3 entering the fourth quarter after a scoreless third quarter.
Tennessee then proceeded to give up 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter which sent the the game to overtime.
The Sooners eventually won in double overtime after a Josh Dobbs interception ended Tennessee's chances.
Earlier this month, Butch Jones, Tennessee's head coach in 2015, spoke to the Tulsa World about the loss which he says still haunts him.
“Still haunts me to this day,” said Jones.
“When you look back at that football team of Oklahoma, I believe they went on to finish 11-2 and 8-1 in conference play and then went to the College Football Playoff,” added Jones. “You never really find out your true identity of a football team until the end of the year, and when you look back at it now, we played one of the top four football teams in America.”
While talking with the Tulsa World, Jones mentioned that Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield missed the handoff on the fourth down play in the first overtime that ended up tying the game. Mayfield scored on the play thanks to a block from running back Samaje Perine
From TulsaWorld.com: In the first overtime, Jones remembers Mayfield missed the handoff on a 4th-and-1 zone concept from the 1-yard line, but still managed to roll himself into the end zone. With that day’s display of determination, Jones said, “I think the entire country found out truly who Baker Mayfield was.”
“He willed that football team to win,” Jones added. “You look at passing stats wise, there wasn’t a lot, but what he did, particularly in the fourth quarter is, I believe they were able to convert a number of third down and fourth down conversions. And it was all of him, with scrambles, breaking tackles and kind of having a will to win.”
I was actually standing on Tennessee's sideline, not far from Jones, during overtime of the game against Oklahoma. And I'm not sure I agree with Jones' assertion that Mayfield missed the handoff. If he gives the ball to Perine, the tackle is likely made and the game ends. Instead, Perine ended up making a key block that allowed Mayfield to get into the end zone.
The atmosphere for that game was one of the best that Neyland had seen in a long time. But unfortunately, it was a somber ending that doesn't just haunt Jones, it haunts thousands of Tennessee fans to this day.
An old Butch Jones quote is making the rounds on social media and it’s hilarious to read after Vols’ 7-0 start
If you're a diehard Tennessee Vols fan, you likely remember a lot of disastrous quotes from former UT head coach Butch Jones. From the "championship of life" quote to Jones saying that the 2015 and 2016 seasons were some of the best seasons in a 20-year period for the Vols, there's been no shortage of […]
Featured image via Saul Young / USA TODAY NETWORK
