Butch Jones reflects back on his time working under Nick Saban at Alabama
A look at Alabama's quarterback room after Mac Jones declares for NFL draft
No longer an “intern,” Butch Jones is back as a head coach as the former Alabama analyst took over the Arkansas State football team last month.
After being fired as the head coach at Tennessee in November of 2017, Jones spent the past three seasons working on Nick Saban’s off-field staff at Alabama. Friday, he revealed some insight about his time in Tuscaloosa, Ala. during a radio interview on the Chuck Oliver Show.
Before coming to Alabama in the spring of 2018, Jones said he took some time to reflect back on his three previous head coaching stops at Tennessee (2013-17), Cincinnati (2010-12) and Central Michigan (2007-09), self-assessing what went right and what went wrong.
While he was presented with several opportunities, he said he elected to come to Alabama because he “felt I needed to be uncomfortable a little bit,” while honing his craft as a coach. Jones was hired as an offensive analyst in 2018 but was promoted to special assistant to the head coach this past season. During his interview Friday, he said the role allowed him to soak up knowledge from Saban, stating he kept a daily journal during his time with the Tide.
“It was incredible,” Jones said. “And obviously the last year of being in the role of special assistant to the head coach. I really did the same thing [as] the first two years. But really to be in [Saban’s] office, him and I talk about things, it was incredible. It was those three years that I’ll cherish. I just can’t say enough, first of all, about the community of Tuscaloosa. The way they embraced me was phenomenal, the fan base and the players. Those kids mean a ton to me.”
During his introductory press conference at Arkansas State last month, Jones got emotional while thanking Saban for the opportunity to resurrect his coaching career. Friday, he spoke about what it was like to work under the Alabama coach.
“You have to be very detailed,” Jones said of his role. “It was an opportunity to be kind of in a role of a head coach in terms of your thought process. Talking with him and what he’s thinking and the whys. Why do you do this? How can we better the program?
“Everything is about constant, never-ending improvement. There’s never staying the same. There’s absolutely no complacency within the program. We talk about being the best version of you. Well, when you work at Alabama, you better be the best version of you each and every day.
“A high level of consistency and just how he balances the entire program from donors and boosters to media, to recruiting, to the football part of it. And I think the other thing in the equation was really the ability to really get back and dive back into football. To be able not just from an offensive standpoint but from a defensive and special teams standpoint. [It was] a very productive and three great years that I will forever be indebted to all of the University of Alabama and what it stands for.”
Saban expressed an appreciation for Jones last month, stating he did a “phenomenal job” during his time with the program. Alabama went 38-3 during Jones’ three season in Tuscaloosa, ranking in the top five in scoring offense all three years.
“He’s very well-liked by the players, really well-organized, and has been very helpful to me personally,” Saban said in December. “… So we are extremely pleased and happy for him and his family to get this opportunity. I think it’s a good job and something he has worked a long time for — another opportunity to be a head coach. We are happy this thing worked out for him the way that it did. Butch is so professional about everything that he does.”
