Mike Strange: Butch Jones needs five-star results

Team 120 was tagged "champions of life." By its head coach, no less.

Now Team 121 is launched with a "five-star heart" brand. By its head coach, no less.

Of all the dialogue generated by Tennessee's national signing day for the class of 2017, the phrase with staying power is coach Butch Jones' declaration that the only five-stars the Vols concern themselves with are five-star hearts.

Jones repeated it at signing-day celebrations in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville. Vol fans everywhere either rolled their eyes or groaned or both. He substituted "character" for heart at the Knoxville celebration.

This almost falls into the category of much ado about nothing. Almost. But Jones' track record of slogans and coach-speak cliches makes it impossible to ignore.

Last November the "champions of life" quote came after the Vols were eliminated from the championship of the SEC East, and thus the overall SEC. With the best of intentions, Jones was complimenting the character of his players. Against the backdrop of failed expectations, however, it didn't go down well with fans.

The "five-star heart" comes in the context of Tennessee not signing as many five-star prospects as Vol fans – and, truth be told, the coaches – would have liked. The public's interpretation: Alabama and Georgia (and don't forget Clemson) got the five-star arms and legs, and Tennessee was left with the three-star bodies with big hearts.

It gets back to results. If UT won the SEC, Jones could speak Pig Latin. If Nick Saban started going 9-4, Alabama fans would tire of hearing about "the process.''

Here's some free advice for both sides:

Jones should give the slogans a rest. Spend some time studying, say, Rick Barnes media sessions.

Fans should accept this for what it is, an unfortunate turn of phrase, and understand that Tennessee recruits the five-star guys just as hard as everyone else does. It's not that UT's staff didn't go all in recruiting five-stars Tee Higgins or Cam Akers because they prioritized some three-star guy with a lot of want-to.

And if four-star receiver Jordan Murphy turns a quick hitch into a 50-yard touchdown against the Gators, it won't matter that he wasn't a five-star or that he's from Hattiesburg, Miss., instead of Oak Ridge. If Ty Chandler is a productive SEC tailback, his lacking that fifth recruiting star will be forgotten.

Recruiting rankings aren't the infallible measure of a player or a signing class. In the big picture, however, there is a valid correlation between recruiting success and on-the-field success. In the shark tank of the SEC, would Tennessee be better off with more four- and five-star signees in the class? The law of averages says yes.

Players Make Plays: UT defensive coordinator Bob Shoop addressed the science of evaluating prospects in an anecdote involving George O'Leary, the former head coach at Georgia Tech and Central Florida. Young Shoop was watching recruiting film with O'Leary and ...

"I point at the guy,'' said Shoop, "and say, 'no, he’s too small, he's too this or too that.' He kept looking at me and he (finally) said, 'coach, that guy just made 10 tackles in a row.'

"It's about football players, it's about guys who can make plays. The measurables are important, it's a big-man’s league. But at the same time, it's guys who can make plays. Not just to have schemed situations, but guys who can win one-on-one battles.''

Putting on Weight: It's a good idea for young players, not so much for adult coaches. Alas, it's unavoidable on the recruiting trail. Sumptuous meals at home visits are routine. So is food grabbed on the run to or from an airport

Jones mentioned one of the last meals of this cycle. It's after 11 p.m. in Clearwater, Fla., a local driver delivers Jones, Larry Scott, Zach Azzanni and Robert Gillespie to a joint for tacos.

"We got to watch the last four minutes of our victory over Kentucky in basketball,'' Jones said. "Probably the best tacos we ever had. We eat anything and everything on the road and when come off, you pay for it.''

Mike Strange can be reached at mike.strange@knoxnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at Strangemike44.