Expectations surrounding the Tennessee program have been sky high for as long as most of us can recall.
Butch Jones has led the program to back-to-back 9-4 seasons in Knoxville, is 30-21 overall, while just 14-18 in SEC play.
At the local Knoxville Rotary Club speaking engagement, Jones acknowledged that they expect to win championships and that they're building toward that, but there is plenty to be proud of heading into their fifth season leading the program.
“I know we live in a society of negativity, people get paid for clicks on the internet,” Jones explained, according to GoVols247. “But I’m here to tell you, when you step back and peel the onion back, look at the layers, we have a lot of things to be proud of.
Jones went on to point out a number of accomplishments and strides that the program has made under his leadership like; the first time in two decades the Vols have won three bowl games, first time in nearly a decade they've finished in the AP top 25, first time in 15 years the team has had six draft picks in the first four rounds, and two years in a row that they've graduated 100% of their players.
Still, the program continues to attracts negative outside attention from naysayers with higher expectations.
"So when you look at all those thing that everything that’s been accomplished, I think sometimes the negativity really is an insult to all the hard work and effort that has gone in by a lot of people behind the scenes. Not just players but the support staff."
Head here to read more of Jones' comments to GoVols247.