Butch Jones Says No to Colorado

Dec 1, 2012; East Hartford, CT, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Butch Jones and tight end Travis Kelce (18) celebrate their win over the Connecticut Huskies for a Big East Championship title at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

After news broke last night from the Denver Post that Butch Jones had accepted the offer to become the Colorado Buffaloes next head football coach, the coach quickly turned to text messages saying that the breaking news was absolutely untrue.

Just as everyone got the news out, it had to be retracted. Now two days after the Cincinnati head coach’s official decision was to be made, Butch Jones Watch has ended for the Bearcat faithful.

The head coach has in fact declined the job offer that would have paid the coach $2.7 million annually over the next five years. However, he would have inherited a program that went 1-11 last year and would have faced an uphill battle.

The news is a welcome surprise for the University of Cincinnati’s football program. Butch Jones has been successful in his three years as a head coach for the Bearcats. He has coached the team to a 23-14 record in his tenure and led the team to two Big East titles.

This year, after splitting a four-way tie for the conference title, the team will play in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 27. Now that the news seems to actually be official this time, the team can concentrate on what is important. Beating Duke and becoming the 2012 Belk Bowl Champions.