The Pros
Money and Resources
Tennessee has more money and resources than ever before. When you compare Tennessee’s situation now to where they were in 2012 when they made their last football hire, it’s almost night and day. UT was nearly in the red right around the time they hired Butch Jones, and right now profits are high. Throw in all the facilities the team has and upcoming renovations, and all this makes Tennessee very attractive from this perspective.
The East is Still “Down”
This season, Georgia has dominated the SEC East. They should be the clear favorites to win the East again next year too, but they lose a lot of talent after this season as well. Florida is still very comparable to Tennessee in terms of their roster, and the Vols should still have a clear edge over the rest of the East besides those two teams. Regardless of who Florida hires this offseason, the Gators won’t be immediate title contenders next year. At least for one (or maybe two) more years, the East will be the much weaker division in the SEC.
Passionate Fan Base
If you had any question about the passion of Tennessee’s fan base, you need only jump on Twitter in the middle of this coaching search. Vol fans are some of the most passionate fans in the country. They truly give their all to Tennessee, and it shows on Saturdays. Neyland Stadium was still mostly full for a 7:30 kick-off against a mid-major team in the middle of one of the worst seasons in Tennessee history this year. That alone shows the passion of this fan base.
Recruiting is Getting Even Easier
Tennessee has always had to recruit nationally, but over the last few years, it’s been much easier to recruit regionally and locally for the Vols. The recruiting classes inside the state of Tennessee have only become better and stronger over the last few years, and it only looks to get better for the 2019 and 2020 classes. The Vols have always had success in Georgia and the Carolinas, but getting a much stronger recruiting base inside your own state is a major draw.
