Butch Jones finalizing deal to become Arkansas State football coach, sources say

Former Tennessee coach Butch Jones has agreed to become the next head coach at Arkansas State and the two sides are working to finalize a deal, sources told ESPN.

Jones is currently a special assistant to Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Jones was an offensive analyst on Alabama's staff the previous two seasons.

As head coach at Tennessee, Jones led the Vols to consecutive nine-win seasons in 2015 and 2016, but was fired at the end of the 2017 season, a season that saw Tennessee go 0-8 in SEC play.

Prior to his stint at Tennessee, Jones was the head coach at Cincinnati and led the Bearcats to a Big East conference championship in 2011.

Jones replaces Blake Anderson at Arkansas State. Anderson left to take the Utah State head-coaching job.