Category archive: Tennessee Volunteers
The coach was a whirling dervish.
On the morning of March 17, Butch Jones got around the Bristol Motor Speedway faster than any NASCAR Sprint Cup car -- and they cover the half-mile oval in less than 15 seconds.
Officially, Tennessee's new head coach was there to serve as grand marshal for the Food City 500. In reality, he was there to introduce himself to the 100,000 fans at the racetrack located just a short drive north of Neyland Stadium. All morning long, he practically ran from appearance to appearance, an athletic department video crew breathlessly on his tail.
"Every morning when I wake up my first thought is, 'What can we do today to improve Tennessee football?'" the coach told me just a few moments before giving the command to start engines. "When I go to bed at night my last thought is, 'What can we do tomorrow?'"
There are 31 head coaches in new Football Bowl Subdivision jobs this spring. While each coach faces his own unique challenges, there are some tasks and goals that are universally shared.
Here's a look at three keys to success for new head coaches as they begin to reshape their programs.1. Win over support staff
"I'm not talking about the coaching staff," Jones said with a laugh. "I brought those guys in here, so I would hope they're on board with the plan. No, I'm talking about the support staff. The folks who were here long before I got here, that built this place into the institution that it is."
To read Ryan McGee's full blog on the three biggest keys for new head coaches, sign up for ESPN Insider.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ryan McGee
Ryan McGee is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine. While you may know him for his extensive and very popular NASCAR coverage on this site and television, he's also been a constant in the Mag's coverage of college football. Why? Well, to wit:
• He started working in college athletic departments at 16 (Furman, Tennessee). Got his first sideline pass (UNC @ Virginia) when he was 12 and was totally run over by Tar Heels LB Micah Moon.
• His father was a college football official for 36 years (FBS 1981-2009), working 20 bowl games and two national championships.
• Ryan's a member of the FWAA (Football Writers Association of America).
• He's covered college football for ESPN The Magazine for the last five years.
• He's all over college sports -- Ryan authored "The Road To Omaha: Hits, Hopes and History at the College World Series."
Follow Ryan on Twitter: @ESPNMcGee
