Tennessee’s playing Georgia Tech in Atlanta to open both teams’ 2017 seasons. UT head coach Butch Jones entered as one of the country’s true HOT SEAT coaches, his status unpreserved by his mastery of unmotivational slogans.
A running diary of Tennessee’s first game of 2017, as told by Vol fans’ FIRE BUTCH JONES tweets
Let’s check in with Tennessee fans throughout their opener against Georgia Tech.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s keep track of the Tennessee fans’ emotional status by searching Twitter for “fire Butch Jones” tweets, timestamped according to what was going on in the game. I’m attempting to verify that each of these individuals are indeed Tennessee fans, but if I’ve mis-ID’d anyone, just know that there was definitely another such tweet right around that time anyway.
10 minutes before broadcast
Right around kickoff
After a nice Tennessee punt
During Georgia Tech’s first extended drive
After a Georgia Tech touchdown
After a Tennessee punt from GT’s 39
After Georgia Tech’s second touchdown, concluding a seven-minute drive
During a flailing Tennessee drive at the end of the first half that took way too much time, didn’t get very far, and involved ugly passes and weird screens
When halftime began with Tennessee down 14-7
When there are still at least 23 more halves of Tennessee football to go in 2017
During yet another GT drive to open the second half
When the Jackets took a 21-7 lead
After a Tennessee three-and-out
After a 38-yard Georgia Tech rush
When the Georgia Tech drive has hit eight plays
When a new Tennessee offensive drive has started, and things aren’t all that bad yet, but they probably will be soon
When the fourth quarter is about to begin with Tennessee down, 21-14
Georgia Tech just scored again. 28-14
A new Tennessee drive is off to a roaring start ...
... and has since resulted in a touchdown to make it 28-21, but still
I’m pretty sure this is the first positive tweet I’ve seen in this search column, though I’ll admit FIRE BUTCH JONES is a search term that’s biased against Butch Jones
Tennessee just forced a punt and has good field position with a chance to tie it up in the fourth
Welp, Tennessee punted for the sixth time ...
... and not a single person tweeted FIRE BUTCH JONES for at least three minutes afterward. This is even more concerning for Butch Jones than the tweets were. What are they plotting?
Tech’s driving again!
And again, this time for a shot to win at the buzzer.
As GT set up for the potential winning field goal
After Tennessee blocked that field goal to reach overtime
I agree with this one. Blocking a field goal is good
We made it through the entire first period of OT without a single FIRE BUTCH JONES TWEET, but when I announced this news, several arrived.
When Tech’s scored in double OT and is about to go for two, for the win.
When GT doesn’t get it, and Tennessee wins in double overtime.
And now, some big-picture perspective:
Butch Jones has actually done a good job at Tennessee.
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