Butch Jones on the Berry family, Vol fans and former Vols

Here are a couple of great Butch Jones’ quotes from his Sunday night appearance on The Nation. Jones speaks on spending time with the Berry family before the bowl game and applauds the Tennessee fans who made the trek to Jacksonville. (If you somehow managed to miss the video of the Vol Walk before the TaxSlayer Bowl, go watch it.)

One of the most rewarding nights I’ve had was the night before the game, when we were in the back hallway with our meeting rooms and I’m with the entire Berry family. Eric’s there and his mother, and his father, aunts and uncles, and Evan and Elliot and our entire coaching staff, just sitting there like a family reunion. Former academic counselors there when James was a player here at Tennessee and Eric as well. Just seeing the love for Tennessee and the happiness in those family’s eyes was very rewarding.

VolNation has been outstanding. It was a great illustration that we have the best fan base in America. It started in Gatlinburg and then it really, really heated up in Jacksonville. We pulled up on those buses for the Vol Walk and I think it opened everyone’s eyes. That just added to that special night. Then, you take over an NFL stadium and you’re all in orange, and everything that it meant.

Jones also talked about what it means to have the support of former players. Guess who was the first to text him after the win?

You talk about the former players, having Ja’Wuan James back and Zach Fulton. Those things are very, very special. They wanted to be part of it with this football team. I get back in the locker room and my first text message is from Peyton Manning, and that’s what makes this place special. It’s people, and that’s what separates us and sets us apart.