Butch Jones referenced one of his most brutal losses at Tennessee ahead of Arkansas State's 2024 season-opener
Earlier this week, Arkansas State Red Wolves head coach Butch Jones referenced one of his most brutal losses as the head of the Tennessee Vols ahead of his team's 2024 season-opener against Central Arkansas. Jones was asked by a reporter about Central Arkansas quarterback Will McElvain and how he'll challenge Arkansas State's defense in the […]
Earlier this week, Arkansas State Red Wolves head coach Butch Jones referenced one of his most brutal losses as the head of the Tennessee Vols ahead of his team's 2024 season-opener against Central Arkansas.
Jones was asked by a reporter about Central Arkansas quarterback Will McElvain and how he'll challenge Arkansas State's defense in the opener.
The former Tennessee coach noted that McElvain reminds him of former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield, a player that Jones and the Vols lost to in 2015.
"Oh they're (Central Arkansas) going to challenge us downfield," said Jones. "I really like the quarterback (McElvain). I told the team the story, he reminds me, very similar, like a Baker Mayfield. Our second year at Tennessee, we played Oklahoma and I believe we were up 17-0 going into the fourth quarter. And some unknown guy that wore No. 6 was running around and all of a sudden we couldn't tackle him. He had high vision, he was able to extend plays. He made some big plays and brought them back to win a football game — they were really a top five opponent."
Jones' details of that game are a little fuzzy (it was almost 10 years ago, so that's to be expected….a lot has happened for everyone since 2015). For starters, it was actually Jones' third season at Tennessee. And the Vols were up 17-3 going into the fourth quarter (but he's right that Oklahoma was eventually ranked in the top five in 2015).
The former UT head coach, however, is correct that Mayfield turned into a super hero when it counted.
Mayfield didn't play well for most of the game — he was 19-of-39 for 187 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown. But all four of Mayfield's touchdowns (passing and rushing) came in either the fourth quarter or in overtime.
It's a game that Tennessee let slip away (in part because the Vols were too conservative — kicking a field goal from the one yard line on the first possession of the game wasn't a good idea).
And because the atmosphere that night inside of Neyland Stadium was so incredible (one of the loudest college football games I've ever attended), the loss was even more heartbreaking than it otherwise would've been.
I don't know if that loss still keeps Jones up at night, but I'm sure it keeps plenty of Vols fans awake from time to time.
