Butch Jones: Tennessee had 'most difficult schedule in the country'
This was supposed to be Tennessee's year. Instead, it was just another year.
After a disappointing 8-4 season landed the Volunteers a trip to the Music City Bowl, head coach Butch Jones attempted to explain where the season went wrong.
"Our schedule was the most difficult schedule in the country," Jones told reporters at a Monday press conference, according to Wes Rucker of 247 Sports.
Indeed, Tennessee had a tough slate this year, though late-season losses to the likes of South Carolina and Vanderbilt were head-scratching.
The schedule was just one factor Tennessee had to cope with, though. The other, said Jones, was a particularly harsh injury bug.
"Our starting 22 can play with anybody in the country. We've all seen that," Jones noted. "We need more competitive depth."
Butch: Everybody’s got good players. The teams that stay healthy are the teams that give themselves a chance to compete for championships.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) December 5, 2016
At one point in October, Tennessee had 15 players on the shelf who had started at least one game through the season's first seven weeks.
The team was later hit with a stunning mid-season departure from running back Jalen Hurd, who elected to transfer out of the program.
"I don't think I've ever been through a football season like this, just with all the adversities, week-in, week-out," Jones said.
Jones, who's failed to string together a 10-win season at Tennessee, will attempt to end the season with a ninth win when the Vols take on Nebraska at the end of December.