Tennessee announced Monday a contract extension and raise for coach Butch Jones that’ll pay him $3.6 million annually through 2020.
The extension isn’t a surprise -- Jones said Sunday he expected it would come together quickly. The second-year Vols coach reportedly was targeted by Michigan (though was never contacted) after earning Tennessee its first bowl bid since 2010.
Jones’ salary bumps from $700,000 a year from the $2.9 million salary he earned in his initial contract, which had four more years remaining on it before the extension. Athletic director Dave Hart also said Monday he’ll increase the pool of money available for assistant coaches.
Wins over Utah State, Arkansas State, Chattanooga, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt got Tennessee to its first bowl game since Derek Dooley’s first year in Knoxville. The Vols haven’t had a winning season since 2009 (a 7-6 year under Lane Kiffin) and last reached the SEC Championship in 2007.HART: It is my belief that you should reward people for performance, not whether you think others are coming after him.
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) December 8, 2014
Jones signed the fifth-best recruiting class as rated by Rivals in 2014, his first full class in Knoxville. With just under two months until signing day, Rivals also ranks Tennessee’s 2015 recruiting class fifth, only behind Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and Clemson.
He still has to turn all that talent into wins -- something not all coaches can do -- but Jones certainly has Tennessee in an encouraging position going forward in the SEC East.
Tennessee will face Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl (Jacksonville, Fla.) Jan. 2.