Tennessee is headed to its first bowl game in four seasons and has thus rewarded coach Butch Jones with a two-year contract extension.
The deal will now run through the 2020 season and also increases the coach's compensation to $3.6 million per year.
Tennessee finished 6-6 in 2014 after three straight seasons of 5-7 and will play Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl on Jan. 2 in Jacksonville. The Vols last reached a bowl game after the 2010 campaign.
"When you are rebuilding a program, you face many challenges in order to change the culture," said Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart on Monday. "A tireless effort is required from the entire organization. The most critical piece of the puzzle is leadership, and we have the right man leading our football program. Butch Jones has re-energized our fan base and is an outstanding ambassador for our university."
The Vols are 11-13 in two seasons under Jones, who took over in December 2012 after three years in Cincinnati and three years at Central Michigan. He owns a career coaching mark of 61-40.
"I am very honored and grateful to be the head football coach at the University of Tennessee, and I understand what this program represents," said Jones. "This has been a complete team effort as we continue to rebuild and restore the Tennessee football program to the standards and expectations that we all have."
In eight seasons as a head coach, Jones has led his teams to six bowl appearances. He was 23-14 at Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to consecutive Big East titles in 2011 and '12, and also guided Central Michigan to a pair of Mid-American championships with a mark of 27-13 during his three years with the Chippewas.
[SportsNetwork.com]
