ESPN 102.5 The Game’s Braden & Fitz hosted Rece Davis Tuesday morning, the host of “College GameDay” Saturday mornings on ESPN. Davis is on the play-by-play commentary duties for the Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech game this Saturday.
Davis joined Braden & Fitz to talk the Tennessee Vols’ future with Butch Jones and the landscape of the College Football Playoff.
Last season Tennessee didn’t meet lofty expectations thrust upon them. After enduring a slew of injuries last season, the Vols already lost middle linebacker Darrin Kirkland. Starting the year off with a significant injury after losing several of your best players to the NFL is bound to hurt the Vols this season.
Add in the graduation of Josh Dobbs, Butch Jones must find a new quarterback to lead his offense this fall. Quarterback decisions lead to coaches being fired or prospering as leaders of a dynasty. Whoever Jones sends on the field to guide his offense is the beginning of a new test for the Vols.
While Jones takes plenty of heat from the media after last season, Davis offers praise and encouragement for Butch Jones and Vol fans, “I believe Butch Jones can build a contender in Knoxville if people are willing to stay the course.”
Tennessee faces an unorthodox opponent to start their season against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. Georgia Tech brings a triple option attack to the table; option offenses are notoriously brutal to scheme against. Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop and Butch Jones have their work cut out for them right off the bat.
Davis believes Jones can weather the storm at Tennessee this season, he describes Jones as a “great program builder”. Year 6 of Jones’ tenure on Rocky Top will be a key determinant in his future at Tennessee. We will see if Butch lives up to the billing Rece Davis gives him.
Braden & Fitz also discussed the national landscape of college football with Davis. As the College Football Playoff enters its 4th year, it isn’t without its’ flaws.
Questions arise around whether the College Football Playoff Committee is truly putting the “best” teams in the playoff, or if they’re looking to make more money off of the teams placed in the playoffs.
“It just needs to be the four best teams, and there is going to be some subjectivity involved in that but that’s why we have the committee”, Davis says.
Davis will continue depending on “the integrity of the committee” to send the best four teams in the country to the College Football Playoff. Regardless of what conference or region of the country any school resides in, the committee must continue to put the best schools in contention for a national title.
To hear Braden and Fitz’s full interview with Rece Davis check out ESPN 102.5 The Game Nashville’s SoundCloud below!
