Butch Jones named new football boss

The man who replaced Brian Kelly at Central Michigan University was selected to also replace him at the University of Cincinnati.

Butch Jones was named as the 38th head football coach at the University of Cincinnati Wednesday, Dec. 16, at Kingsgate Conference Center. Director of Athletics Mike Thomas and university President Greg Williams delivered the announcement to the local media.

“Once I had a chance to meet Butch Jones face-to-face, I knew we had found the individual with the right characteristics who could carry out the momentum built around the UC football program,” Thomas said. “His innovative mind and energy makes him a knockout choice for the university.”

Jones began his address by thanking the university’s administration and Thomas on trusting him to be the next head football boss at UC.

“It truly is an honor to be the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati,” Jones said. “It’s a position that comes with a very high standard, and I look forward to embracing those standards each and every day. It is one of the premier positions in the country.”

The former West Virginia assistant coach plans to instill seven core values in which the football program is to follow: loyalty, family, honesty, accountability, focus, commitment and persistence. Jones spent the last three seasons at Central Michigan, compiling a 26-13 record. The Chippewas finished the 2009 season with 11 victories against only two losses.

“I am the caretaker of Cincinnati football, and you won’t find anyone who is more prouder of that than myself,” Jones said. “The program now is at a level of extreme high expectations; we are the hunted.”

Jones plans to continue running the spread offense, one of the hallmark characteristics of UC football under former head coach Brian Kelly.

“Our goal is to lead the country in ball security and scoring points and doing what is necessary to win,” Jones said.

As for the defensive side of the ball, Jones said the team will be a “swarming, aggressive defense. We won’t be a defense that makes mistakes.”

Jones already hired Kerry Coombs as defensive backs coach. Coombs was the associate head coach under Kelly and defensive backs coach.

“I asked him about our football team, and it took him about two-and-a-half hours. You can see the passion he has for the great city of Cincinnati.”

As for the rest of the staff, Jones seeks to hire the best strength and conditioning coach available.

“We’re going to be the best conditioned football team in the country, and that is something that we’ll pride ourselves on,” Jones said.

Jones will not coach the team during the 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Instead, he’ll take a back seat to interim head coach Jeff Quinn.

“To me, its all about the seniors on this football team,” Jones said. “I think it’s all about them finishing what they started.“