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Former player could coach with the best

by Tony Basilio

Goosebumps overtook me this past Saturday at Neyland Stadium when the Jumbo-tron flashed highlights of Chris White making an interception late in the Sugar Bowl versus Miami back in 1986. The whole place was electric as Vol fans were swept back a couple of decades. White was honored along with Reggie Cobb as part of “Tennessee Legends,” an ongoing recognition of players who’ve helped define Tennessee football. It’s quickly become my favorite gameday event.

And as we make our way through the rosters of yesteryear, time will soon come for us to bring back another legend from those ’86 Sugar Bowl champs, in the person of former UT linebacker Dale Jones. No one personifies Tennessee football more than Jones; Jones is the ultimate underdog. It’s a shame that midfield during a Tennessee Legends ceremony may be as close as Jones ever gets to the sidelines in Neyland Stadium again.

Jones, who has toiled at Appalachian State for several years as a defensive coach/special teams coordinator, wants to come back home in the worst way, and he’s expressed those feelings to me and anyone else who will listen. “I would love the opportunity to come back and be a part of Tennessee Football,” he said during a radio appearance with me last fall. “I have a passion for what UT did for me as a person and a player.”

You don’t have to look far to see the type of impact that fresh blood can have on a coaching staff. Tennessee Running Backs Coach Trooper Taylor offers a prime example. Taylor came to Knoxville after previous stints at places like Baylor and Tulane—not exactly bastions of big-time football. But now UT insiders marvel at the energy this thirtysomething has brought to the table. He is a dynamo in practice, games and even team meetings. His was the one unit that played with purpose in the Auburn beatdown. Cedric Houston has been running with a sense of urgency he’s never displayed before, and Gerald Riggs, Jr. seems to have new life as well.

Like Taylor, Dale Jones’ hallmark was the sheer emotion with which he played the game of football: the blood and guts leadership. Remember the spectacular, game-saving interception of Mike Shula in the ‘Bama game of 1985?

As an undergrad in the late ’80s, I had the pleasure of seeing Jones’ passion on display during a game of flag football one evening. He had just been released by the Dallas Cowboys and was back at UT working on his degree. Taking part in a mere intramural contest, even with the bright lights long since dimmed, he was playing a different game than the other guys on the field. Jones is a competitor. Like Taylor, his fire would be a welcome addition.

Jones’ passion for competing has helped him remain one of the 10 most popular Vols to pull on a chinstrap in the modern era. “When I played for the Vols, it was a dream,” Jones said. “It was all I knew. It meant everything to me for us to win... If Coach Fulmer calls, I’ll be there.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see Dale Jones get a shot at continuing his dream?

There’s plenty of precedent for such a thing; the record shows that former players have served the UT coaching staff well. Phillip Fulmer is a living legend in our midst. Former UT reserve quarterback Randy Sanders is coming into his own as offensive coordinator in 2004. Remember the reaction when John Chavis was appointed defensive coordinator back in 1995? Although his unit will surely take its lumps this year, rest assured that Chavis is perhaps the most highly respected assistant in Tennessee’s illustrious group of coaches.

But before Jones can get a job at UT, he has to be granted an interview. Despite the fact that he’s ready, willing and able, he’s apparently not even a blip on Phillip Fulmer’s radar screen. The last several job openings have left him waiting by the phone. Jones would seem to meet all the criteria Coach Fulmer likes—he’s passionate, dedicated, a former Vol hero, and he has coaching experience.

Like Chavis and Sanders before him, Jones would serve his alma mater with passion and pride. Do the right thing, Coach Fulmer. Bring this Tennessee Legend back for more than a cameo.

Tune in and talk sports with Tony Basilio weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on ESPN Radio WVLZ 1180 AM.

October 7, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 41 © 2004 Metro Pulse