Few players are more closely associated with their alma mater than Peyton Manning is with Tennessee. That’s one reason why -- in addition to being one of the best quarterbacks to ever play football -- when he speaks about the Vols, people listen.
Manning is back in Knoxville this weekend to catch the team taking on Georgia in a huge SEC East clash and to be honored by the National Football Foundation for his upcoming induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Naturally his return to town prompted questions about what he thinks of the football team and their embattled head coach, Butch Jones.
As expected from the quarterback, he’s not pouring gasoline on Jones’ hot seat and told the Associated Press on Friday that he’s “pulling hard” for the coach to right the ship after a difficult first few games of 2017.
“I get texts from him at all hours about some concept or philosophy, and he’s all in,” added Manning.
While most Tennessee fans would probably crawl over backwards to have their former signal-caller take over for Jones as head coach of the Vols, it certainly doesn’t seem like that will be in the cards anytime soon given how close the pair’s relationship is. Maybe everybody will be signing a different tune after Saturday’s clash with the Bulldogs however...