Arkansas State coach Butch Jones does not shy away from showing his appreciation for Alabama coach Nick Saban. The duo faced each other during the rivalry game between Tennessee and Alabama when Jones was the head coach of the Volts from 2013-2017.However, Jones was fired by the Volunteers in 2017 after the team went 0-6 in the SEC Conference, leading to interim head coach Brady Hoke temporarily taking over. After losing his Tennessee job, it was Saban who helped Jones find a suitable professional path for himself.Jones was recruited by Saban as the team's offensive analyst in 2018 and spent three years with the Crimson Tide. This helped him to get a gig as the new head coach of the Arkansas State Red Wolves in 2021. To this date, Jones is grateful to Saban for helping him get back on his feet and being a friend in need despite the rivalry they shared on the gridiron."When you bring up Nick Saban, you're probably talking to his biggest fan," Jones said. 'Him and Miss Terry and what they've done for me and my family. I was sitting at home, all set to go to Ohio State and be with Urban Meyer. Urban Meyer had to go out of town and the next day I get a call from Coach Saban. 'We'd like for you to come in and interview'."I thought to myself, I ask our players to be comfortable being uncomfortable, I need to do the same. It was the first interview I had been on in a long time."You know coach Saban through competition, obviously the Tennessee- Alabama rivalry, but I did not know him personally. So I said I need to be uncomfortable. There's only one person on the staff that I knew, but I went in and interviewed the entire day and left."The next day, Coach Saban called and offered me a job. Urban Meyer was out of town and I said, 'You know what? What a great opportunity.' And I took the job."Those three seasons under Saban helped Jones recuperate. After that, he went on to replace Blake Anderson as the 34th head coach of the Red Wolves.Butch Jones' record with Arkansas StateIn his debut season, the Red Wolves went on to record a disappointing 2-10 campaign. The following year was not successful as well, as Jones and the Red Wolves could only manage three wins to compile a 3-9 campaign.However, this year, Jones was successful in leading the Razorbacks to their first bowl-eligible campaign under his reign. The Red Wolves finished the regular season 6-6 and will now face Northern Illinois in the 2023 Camellia Bowl.