Former Tennessee football coach Butch Jones’ third season at Arkansas State started with him getting emotional on the sideline during a 73-point loss at Oklahoma. It ended in interesting fashion as well.
Jones erupted in anger on officials in the final moments of Arkansas State’s 21-19 loss against Northern Illinois in the Camellia Bowl.
The Red Wolves score a touchdown with 1:10 left in the game but their two-point try was unsuccessful keeping them down by two points. Arkansas State’s onside kick attempt was successful but came off the board when the officials called offsides on the Red Wolves.
That led to an all-time Butch Jones red-faced rampage on the sideline. Jones yelled angrily at the officials and maybe for good reason. The call was very close but it was hard to tell for sure from the angle on the broadcast. Check out Jones’ tirade and a replay of the penalty here.
This offsides call is what had Butch Jones bright red..
Thoughts?pic.twitter.com/oMq8S8HzF1
— Barstool Sun Belt (@barstoolsunbelt) December 23, 2023
Even after Northern Illinois recovered the second onside kick, Arkansas State had all three of its timeouts and a chance to get the ball back and put together a quick field goal drive to win. But that’s when Jones made a big mistake. He called his first timeout before Northern Illinois ran its first play so he could continue arguing the call with the officials.
When Northern Illinois ran for a first down on the first play of the ensuing drive, the game was officially over.
“That call didn’t cost us the game,” Jones said postgame. “There were a lot of plays on our half that we could have done where we wouldn’t have been in that situation. But what you look for in an officiating crew is command of the moment and when they’re looking at you and they can’t tell you what happened, as a coach that is very disturbing.”
Arkansas State finished Jones’ third season with a 6-7 record. The Red Wolves now boast an 11-16 record in Jones’ three seasons as head coach.
