Putting the 'Jones' in Jonesboro: Butch Jones Hired as Arkansas State Head Coach

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Nick Saban's special assistant didn't make the trip back with the Alabama football team following the Crimson Tide's 52-3 drumming of Arkansas.

Butch Jones, who served as an offensive analyst for two years at Alabama before becoming Saban's special assistant, and after serving as head coach at both Cincinnati and Tennessee, was hired as the next head coach of Arkansas State on Saturday night.

"It is truly an honor and privilege to be the head football coach at Arkansas State University," Jones said in a statement. "It is a position that I take great pride in, and I look forward to connecting with our student-athletes to build upon the strong tradition of excellence both on and off the field of play."

Jones replaces Blake Anderson, who was named the head coach at Utah State on Thursday.

Butch Jones named 31st @AStateFB Head Coach.

>>>>> https://t.co/d5LPWwsJWx pic.twitter.com/NLPf6GuvjM
— Arkansas State Red Wolves Athletics (@AStateRedWolves) December 13, 2020

Arkansas State sits at 4-7 this season. After starting the season 3-2, the Red Wolves then went on a five-game losing streak before winning its final game of the regular season against Louisiana-Monroe.

The Red Wolves hope that Jones can bring the success that he had at Cincinnati and early in his tenure at Tennessee to Arkansas State.

"Butch Jones' outstanding record of success at both the [Group of 5] and [Power 5] levels is evident, and we're excited to having him leading our football program into the future," Arkansas State athletic director Terry Mohajir said in a statement. "He is the only coach over the last 12 years to lead Tennessee to back-to-back nine win seasons, and he led Cincinnati and Central Michigan to four conference championships over a six-year period.

"Butch has also worked with one of the most-well-respected coaches in history in Nick Saban the last three years at Alabama. Our candidate pool was fantastic, but following extensive and positive conversations with Butch, while also looking at his winning history, coaching and leadership abilities and vision for our program, we became confident he was the clear choice to be our next head coach."

Jones coached Tennessee to back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2015 and 2016 before being fired after the 2017 season due to the Volunteers finishing 0-8 in SEC play.