Finally! Tennessee fired Butch Jones on Nov. 12, and the Vols hired Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt as their head coach on Dec. 7. Even after Tennessee replaced Jones, the former Vols’ head coach’s picture was still displayed prominently on the back of Neyland Stadium’s jumbotron.
He's still haunting Tennessee's campus pic.twitter.com/mIUaY9ckuA
— Charlie Burris (@Charlie_Burris) December 22, 2017
But finally, on March 5 — a whopping 113 days after his firing, Jones’ face was finally removed from the back of the jumbotron:
Goodbye Butch Jones pic.twitter.com/naHvFkK0Zr
— Brianna Paciorka (@bpaciorka) March 5, 2018
The weekend after Jones was fired, his picture was still up there when the Vols played the LSU Tigers at home.
Not coming down before the game. #LSU pic.twitter.com/bSfACE3jD2
— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) November 17, 2017
The three photos were changed to include Jones in Oct. 2014:
Previously the three images were, left to right, former quarterback Condredge Holloway, Neyland again in the center, and former coach Phillip Fulmer holding the national championship trophy won by the Vols in 1998.
As far as who is replacing Jones, that is going to Al Wood, the former Vol linebacker who played under Phillip Fulmer from 1995-98.
Hello Al Wilson pic.twitter.com/rN4kBf1VOs
— Brianna Paciorka (@bpaciorka) March 5, 2018
Before the replacement was made official, some suggested putting Fulmer back up, which would make even more sense now that he’s Tennessee’s new AD. Former UT head coach Lane Kiffin, who’s been trolling Tennessee since he left in 2009, was on board with the idea:
First things first. Put Phillip Fulmer’s picture back on the Jumbotron.
— Jayson Swain (@SwainEvent) November 13, 2017
#halloffame https://t.co/OT7v4KUZHT
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 13, 2017
Jones may be gone, but we’ll never forget it took Tennessee a whole 113 days after his firing to replace his picture.